Learn English – Word for introducing people without knowing their names

single-word-requests

I have heard that English has a word for the situation in which you are talking to an acquaintance when another acquaintance walks by whom you greet. Neither knows the other so you are about to mutually introduce them, but you suddenly realize that you do not remember either of their names!

What is the word or phrase for that? I have consulted books of idioms, a thesaurus, and multiple search engines without any luck.

Best Answer

Perhaps you're referring to the idiom mind went blank.

Edit: I'm assuming you're referring to the sudden inability to recall information that you already know, in general. This could be someone's name (as in the example you provided), or it could be, say, the sudden inability to remember some factoid during an exam.

If I'm wrong about that assumption, however, there's this word:

lethonomia: 1. A tendency to forget names. 2. The inability to recall the right name.

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