A system for determining a similarity between a name phrase and a comparison name phrase, for each name in the name phrase, scores the name. The scoring is based on the field frequency of the name in a name database, where the field frequency indicates a given name frequency and/or a surname frequency in the database. The system uses the scoring to determine a transition from a given name to a surname in the name phrase. The system determines a primary given name and a primary surname in the name phrase based on the scoring and the transition. The system uses the primary given name and primary surname to determine a similarity between the name phrase and a comparison name phrase, where the comparison name phrase comprises a comparison given name and a comparison surname.