I really hate to admit that I have trouble with names, but I found that honesty is the best policy…. The first few days of class I bring self-sticking nametags and a sharpie pen so the students can write their names on them. I tell them upfront that I really have to work at learning everyone's name and that is why we wear the nametags the first two or three days. At first I thought they would absolutely hate it, but they didn't. They actually seem to welcome that an effort was genuinely being made to learn their names and I think it helps the students learn every ones name too.