diff --git a/src/core/megahal.ts b/src/core/megahal.ts
index f77d2bb..aee3703 100644
--- a/src/core/megahal.ts
+++ b/src/core/megahal.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import path from 'node:path'
 import { fileExists, getFileSize } from '@/utils/file_utils'
 import { formatBytes } from '@/utils/string_utils'
 import { isWhitelisted } from '@/lib/whitelist'
+import { getMentionUsername } from '@/utils/discord_utils'
 let muted = false
 const BRAIN_FILE = path.resolve(process.cwd(), 'data', 'brain.dat')
 // every 20 messages
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ export async function trainMegahal(message: Discord.Message, replyChance: number
     (msg, trigger) =>
       msg.toLowerCase().startsWith(trigger.toLowerCase()) ? msg.substring(trigger.length) : msg,
     message.content,
-  )
+  ).replace(/<@!?(\d+)>/g, (_, id) => getMentionUsername(message, id))
   logger.debug('Learning from message:', JSON.stringify(input))
 
   if (totalMsgCount >= SAVE_RATE) {
diff --git a/src/utils/discord_utils.ts b/src/utils/discord_utils.ts
index a71dece..fcc5267 100644
--- a/src/utils/discord_utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils/discord_utils.ts
@@ -4,3 +4,21 @@ export async function isAdministrator(member: Discord.GuildMember): Promise<bool
   // TODO check role permissions
   return member.permissions.has(PermissionsBitField.Flags.ManageGuild)
 }
+
+/**
+ * Gets username from mention.
+ *
+ * If clean is true (default), will try to fetch nickname from CA style - "Real Name (Nickname)"
+ */
+export function getMentionUsername(message: Discord.Message, userId: string, clean = true): string {
+  const displayName = message.mentions.members!.get(userId)?.nickname ?? 'Unknown'
+  if (clean) {
+    const startParenIdx = displayName.indexOf('(')
+    const endParenIdx = displayName.indexOf(')')
+    if (startParenIdx !== -1 && endParenIdx !== -1) {
+      return displayName.substring(startParenIdx + 1, endParenIdx)
+    }
+    return displayName
+  }
+  return displayName
+}