Phonebook organization

March 28, 2006 5:44 PM

Firstname Lastname or Lastname, Firstname?

A birthday gift has me perplexed. I got a "Little Pink Book" and it's been so long since I've used a paper based phonebook that I'm not sure of the best practice for entering names into the book. What do you find works best? Firstname Lastname or Lastname, Firstname?

posted by FlamingBore to Grab Bag (9 answers total)

I usually do last-first for big comprehensive lists of contacts, as there will be less duplicate last names. For a smaller list, first-last is fine. More importantly, last names don't change as frequently. If I'm looking up my sister, I might forget I filed her under "Lizzie" instead of "Elizabeth."
posted by themadjuggler at 5:50 PM on March 28, 2006

People whom I'm likely to forget their last name (work acquaintances for example) go in by first name. Everyone else by last.
posted by furtive at 5:55 PM on March 28, 2006

Military service made me very particular. All that last-name reference in everyday life made me set up almost all lists by last name, including the one on my cell phone.

The real answer? whichever makes you more comfortable. I would either avoid nicknames, or put them in parentheses on the side, but the main format is a matter of personal taste.
posted by mystyk at 6:38 PM on March 28, 2006

Either is fine as long as you alphabetize by last name.
posted by oddman at 6:55 PM on March 28, 2006

The nice thing about Lastname, Firstname is that it keeps families together.
posted by etc. at 7:01 PM on March 28, 2006

Lastname, Firstname is more efficient, in my humble opinion.
posted by Count Ziggurat at 7:15 PM on March 28, 2006

Nothing says you can't do both, you know.
posted by SPrintF at 7:17 PM on March 28, 2006

I second CrayDrygu's advice. And for your contacts who don't have codenames: make some up! You never know when The Enemy is reading/watching/listening. Plus, in the event of an emergency, who're people going to call first? "Smith, John C.," or "COMMAND HQ?"
posted by herrdoktor at 8:37 PM on March 28, 2006

My Palm is organized by lastname. My mobile phone by firstname. I guess it was just too weird to see "Incoming call from Haughey, Matthew."
posted by grouse at 11:23 PM on March 28, 2006