When I meet someone I know but whose name I forget, this has never failed me:

“Hi. You know, I remember that you are a dancer, and that you have a loud cat, and that you met David Hasselhoff once, but I can’t remember your least significant feature—your name.”

The person is always impressed that you have remembered details about them and, unless they have renamed themselves to actualize their chakra energy or something (and let’s hope you don’t have to meet too many of that sort), they will tend to agree that their name is less important than the fact that you really listened the first time you met.

Of course, this requires you to remember those details, but I find that much easier than remembering names. And, since I no longer feel fear, dread, or pressure to recall a name after I’ve heard it, I can concentrate on really listening to the person.