NAME FINDING SYSTEM AND METHOD

An improved system and method for name searching. The system and method comprise software routines and a database of names with special indexes to support name-based searches. The special indexes are created using phonetic, nicknames and misspelling algorithms. A software search routine applies progressively fuzzier searches, and ranks the intermediate results according to popularity of names and closeness of names in the query to name records in the database, eliminating unsuitable names, until a predetermined number of candidate names have been found. Highly relevant results are returned even when the user provides incomplete, errant, or exactly matching search queries for the name as indexed. The system and method may be used in any information retrieval system or service that indexes and presents names in search results.