Why you shouldn't worry when someone calls you by the wrong name

gloria mari

April 23, 2018 12:41 PM

"Call me by another name."

Calling a loved one by the wrong name is known as misnaming.

A study published in the journal Memory and Cognition, found that misnaming is common among people of all ages and ranges from all kinds of relationships from a parent to a pet.

The most common case was that of parents calling a child by the wrong sibling's name.

Misnaming typically occurs within a close social group. If it's a family, the wrong name used is of a family member. If it's among a group of friends, the wrong name used belongs to someone within the circle of friends.

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The reason why it happens is because of how the brain stores information. The brain stores information relative to what the information is associated with. So a mother will associate her son with her daughter.

When she wants to call out her son, she may end up saying her daughter's name instead.

This isn't inherently because the daughter is the favourite.

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The study revealed that it is because the mother loves her children so much she has a hard time differentiating it.

This however shouldn't be used to explain away bosses who call their employees by the wrong name as this could be due to poor memory, dismissal or being unable to keep track of employees. A lover can't also use this excuse as there is no "social group" for lovers so association can't explain why you would call out an ex's name in bed.

Source:

gloria mari