The 2025 Training Season has started and we're jumping back into the popular topic (and experiences) of learning names – using 'Name Games.' Back in 2016, I posted the 'Let's Talk About' topic of Name Games. I shared the historical favorite, Toss-A-Name Game from Karl Rohnke and my point of view about Name Games, and it's still as strong in me as ever:
I know "Name Games" in two ways. Activities that use names as a helpful behavior within a task, and activities that are used to learn and practice names.
My name-learning games include challenging my participants to 'test out' early on in the program. This testing is a risk-taking experience chosen (or not) by each person. It's not required, just simply offered as a way to motivate learning names. (Read more about the process of testing out at the link above.)
Over the years I have posted some of my favorite Name Games. Each game is accompanied with an invitation to test out one's knowledge of the names in the group.
Name Card Exchange is the one I start with most often because I can use name cards in so many other ways (see also, Story Cards). The link takes you to a deep dive into the activity (one of the What? & Why? entries at the OnTeamBuilding blog. If you don't want to go too deep, just read the What? part – how to play).
Name Warp Speed is a good one for learning names through observation and listening during a fast paced challenge. It's a no-prop version of the activity Group Juggle.
I did an update of Toss-A-Name Game with Proper Tossing Procedure in 2024 to add a bit more learning about effective communication.
Toss-A-Name Game Crowd Calling. This is a new one for me. I just found it in Karl Rohnke's Bottomless Baggie (1991) when I found the Name Tag variation below. Karl credits this variation to 'Torbert.' Simple: “…as the object [only one is used in this game] is thrown to a player [after the group is introduced to this change], the thrower no longer calls that person’s name. Instead, all those in the group who remember the catcher’s name, shout it out.” The one object is tossed around until it appears everyone is calling out everyone's name.
I used Name Tag a little bit in 2024, but it lacked a group learning process. However, I just ran across a variation to Name Tag Karl Rohnke shared in Bottomless Baggie (1991) that I'm excited to use. [Please read up on Name Tag before you read this easy tweak.] “When [the first] person taps someone and says their name, they must join hands with that person and move as a pair [eyes open] to tap and name a third person [all in the chain must say the new person’s name]. Then, the three go tap someone else – all three linked players say the fourth person's name, and so on. The game ends (stop the timer) when everyone has joined hands" (p. 103).
Fill Me In This season I brought back Fill Me In back into my line up (Rohnke, FUNN STUFF Vol. 1, 1996). It's like Toss-A-Name Game without tossing stuff and plays like Name Warp Speed (above) without the structured pattern. Everyone circles up. If they don't know everyone's names yet go around the circle sharing first names a few times – players are encouraged to pay attention to the names so they have some to start the game with. Then, one person starts the action. This starter says someone's name and walks towards them to eventually take their spot in the circle. The person whose name was called must now move from their spot and call another player's name in the circle, walking towards them in order to take their spot. After one of the random patterns is started, and continues, another person can start another pattern, calling a name and walking towards that person to take their spot, and so on. Players are encourage to observe, learn, and use new names (to them) during the process so they can 'TEST OUT' during pauses between rounds.
Remember, the simple assignment of 'testing out' can turn any name game into a learning names game.
What is your favorite name game? Leave us a Comment so we can learn more.
All the best,
Chris Cavert, Ed.D.
Over the years I have posted some of my favorite Name Games. Each game is accompanied with an invitation to test out one's knowledge of the names in the group.
Name Card Exchange is the one I start with most often because I can use name cards in so many other ways (see also, Story Cards). The link takes you to a deep dive into the activity (one of the What? & Why? entries at the OnTeamBuilding blog. If you don't want to go too deep, just read the What? part – how to play).
Name Warp Speed is a good one for learning names through observation and listening during a fast paced challenge. It's a no-prop version of the activity Group Juggle.
I did an update of Toss-A-Name Game with Proper Tossing Procedure in 2024 to add a bit more learning about effective communication.
Toss-A-Name Game Crowd Calling. This is a new one for me. I just found it in Karl Rohnke's Bottomless Baggie (1991) when I found the Name Tag variation below. Karl credits this variation to 'Torbert.' Simple: “…as the object [only one is used in this game] is thrown to a player [after the group is introduced to this change], the thrower no longer calls that person’s name. Instead, all those in the group who remember the catcher’s name, shout it out.” The one object is tossed around until it appears everyone is calling out everyone's name.
I used Name Tag a little bit in 2024, but it lacked a group learning process. However, I just ran across a variation to Name Tag Karl Rohnke shared in Bottomless Baggie (1991) that I'm excited to use. [Please read up on Name Tag before you read this easy tweak.] “When [the first] person taps someone and says their name, they must join hands with that person and move as a pair [eyes open] to tap and name a third person [all in the chain must say the new person’s name]. Then, the three go tap someone else – all three linked players say the fourth person's name, and so on. The game ends (stop the timer) when everyone has joined hands" (p. 103).
Fill Me In This season I brought back Fill Me In back into my line up (Rohnke, FUNN STUFF Vol. 1, 1996). It's like Toss-A-Name Game without tossing stuff and plays like Name Warp Speed (above) without the structured pattern. Everyone circles up. If they don't know everyone's names yet go around the circle sharing first names a few times – players are encouraged to pay attention to the names so they have some to start the game with. Then, one person starts the action. This starter says someone's name and walks towards them to eventually take their spot in the circle. The person whose name was called must now move from their spot and call another player's name in the circle, walking towards them in order to take their spot. After one of the random patterns is started, and continues, another person can start another pattern, calling a name and walking towards that person to take their spot, and so on. Players are encourage to observe, learn, and use new names (to them) during the process so they can 'TEST OUT' during pauses between rounds.
Remember, the simple assignment of 'testing out' can turn any name game into a learning names game.
What is your favorite name game? Leave us a Comment so we can learn more.
All the best,
Chris Cavert, Ed.D.
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