Do you get your kids’ names mixed up? Psychologist reveals why your brain makes this ‘common glitch’ and it’s not the reason you think

Do you find yourself constantly mixing the names of your kids up? Don't worry, you aren't alone - there's an interesting scientific reason for this 'common glitch,' according to a psychologist.

If you're feeling forgetful, you'd be forgiven for wondering if it's a menopause symptom, as memory problems can be a classic sign of this stage of life. Coping with stress management has also been shown to affect memory, while anxiety signs and symptoms can also include issues with recollection. Parenting is stressful, and can induce many affects that might result in parents thinking they're in cognitive decline.

However, if the symptom you've noticed is that you're constantly getting your kids' names mixed up, there's no reason to panic. Science has proven this phenomenon to be a simple cognitive glitch. Speaking to Good Housekeeping, associate professor of psychology at York College of Pennsylvania, Samantha A. Deffler, explained the results of a study revealing why this type of memory issue isn't a problem. 

Deffler said "Across five studies, surveying over 1,700 participants, our research found that this is a natural and very common cognitive glitch. More than half of those surveyed had experienced being called by the wrong name by someone familiar to them, and 95% were called the incorrect name by a family member."

Deffler added: "We found that naming errors typically happen within a category, so the wrong name being used is in the same group," which is usually family members. She continued "It would be weird for a mum to call her child by a name outside of that family category." Pets are usually included in the family group too, although the cat is unlikely to get the dinner on if you ask.

Why does this happen? According to psychologists, misnaming occurs because calling a family member's name isn't something you have to really think about - your brain’s automatic responses step in. Rushing and multi-tasking parents rely on these automatic processes to voice the information you're searching for. When you're recalling a name quickly, simple blips can happen in a split second, and your brain delivers you the wrong one.

Thankfully, this glitch isn't a memory issue, and is unrelated to cognitive decline or ageing. It's usually linked to stress and exhaustion, with high numbers of respondents to the study revealing they were distracted, tired or frustrated at the time of misnaming. The phenomenon can also be passed down - if your mother frequently mixed up names, it's likely you will too. Deffler concluded "I worked on this study before I had kids. And now that I’m a mum, I make the same naming mistakes that my mother did." 

Misnaming can become a concern if you don’t realise you've done it, or other family members comment that you're memory doesn't appear quite right. Similarly, forgetting recently learned information and dates, or finding tasks you normally complete every day difficult, can also indicate a real problem. Anyone concerned about an issue with their memory, is urged to consult with their own Doctor for advice.

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