Think back to any of the dreams you can remember. Chances are, you may have seen minute details and an array of people, but you didn't see any brand new, unfamiliar faces. According to reports, our brain can't create faces — rather, it can only present us with faces that we already know. Even if you don't remember a person or don't know them well, your brain remembers them better than you do and can show them to you while you're dreaming (via NeuroTray). So even if you're dreaming of a person that you don't recognize, you've most likely seen them before in passing — perhaps without even realizing it.
According to the University of Washington, the brain's temporal lobe is responsible for our ability to recognize faces, and the neurons in this area respond to features of faces that help us remember them and distinguish them from other people.
If you're dreaming about someone you don't know or recognize, it could mean that you're feeling insecure about something or are jealous of someone for something that they have that you want (via DreamMoods). It looks like it's time to finally start that dream journal!
