What is in a Name?
Everything. Your name accompanies who you are or how people perceives you. A name gives you identity so do your character.
It is embarrasing if you happen to forget a person's name. I am sure all of us, at some point, pretended to know the name of someone. At the start of the conversation, we listened but at the back of our mind "ano ulit pangalan niya??? Kilala ko to eh. Saan nga ba kami ulit unang nagmeet?". And as the conversation progresses, we are hoping we can get hints and clues on the person's name or even constructed questions that will lead to his name.
Example: (During my college years)
Naglalakad ako sa Dorm Complex going to the Navs Tambayan:
Unidentified Friend: "Ui Cha!!! Kumusta ka na?" (beso-beso)
Cha: "Ei! Ayos lang. Kaw ba?" (mental blocked--- kilala ko to eh... Classmate ko sa Kas1. San nga ulit nagstart name niya???)
Unidentified Friend: "Ayos lang din. Thesis mode ako ngayon eh." blah blah blah...
Cha: "Ah, talaga?! Kaya mo yan. Ajah!" (still mental blocked--- kilala ko to eh... Classmate ko sa Kas1. Ano nga ulit nagstart name niya??? ggrrr Ano naaaaa.... alam ko na...)
Cha: "Ano ulit pangalan nung seatmate mo sa Kas1? Ung kakulitan din natin?"
Unidentified Friend: "Ah, si ********. Di ko na nakikita un eh."
Cha: "Ako din eh. Di ko na siya naging classmate ulit. Diba may tawag siya sayo???!!!"
Unidentified Friend: "Hahaha!!! Oo, lagi niya akong tinatawag na ********".
Cha: (yes! eureka! That's it!) "hahaha funny nga un!!!
Unidentified Friend: "Ui, sige cha, punta pa akong Lib. See you around!"
Cha: "Nice to see you *******. Godbless sa thesis. Ajah!"
-------
Another example is when a person knows you by someone else's name.
My boss is really bad in remembering names. Add to that the confusion between Cha and Jam. In fairness to him, he is not the only one. Our Director would sometimes call Jam "Jack" and me "Cham" (waaaw! pinaghalong Cha+Jam). Even my close friend Bettie would mixed our names. --- Ang layo naman ng Cha sa Jam aaaahhh!!!!
Our boss sent a Thank You email to those who were assigned at the Manila Hotel Event for the Hope Christian Alumni Homecoming.
I was not included in the list but Jam was (and she was not assigned to that event). To put a stop to this, here is my email to my boss:
Hi sir!
I would like to let you know that I am Cha and not Jam =)
and his reply:
ha ha ha :) (I) am hopeless
When I entered his office to get a fax, he asked me "You were the one who sent me the email?"
I answered, "Yes, Sir" then smiled.
He said: "Damn." and even punched his table.
The next day, I was surprised with what I received from my boss:
Hi..
Hope I got this right this time around...
Regards,
*******
the attachment:
*a picture of me during the event. hahaha forgive my look. Harassed na yan.
6am call time and we weren't able to eat anything till 3pm (and no time for sitting).
Cute ni sir, bumabawi.
For reference: This is ChaJam a.k.a Cham :)
*our Kopi Roti moments with Sheena and Bettie :)
Note:
They say that in order to remember a person's name, look into his eyes then repeat his name on your mind thrice. Hmmm... 
