LinkedIn Search by Name: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Why use LinkedIn search by name?

With almost 1 billion users, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform, and using LinkedIn’s search feature is one of the easiest ways to find specific people.

Searching by name is your secret weapon for precise prospecting, whether you’re::

• You want to research a prospect before a call with them.
• You’re looking for a specific person but don’t know their LinkedIn profile URL.
• You need to find professionals in a certain industry or company.

1. How to find someone on LinkedIn by name

To find someone on LinkedIn using this method, you’ll need two key pieces of information:

• Their full name (first and last)
• At least one additional detail (company, location, industry, etc.), in case there are multiple people with their full name

Here’s the quickest way to search, step-by-step:

Step 1: Log into LinkedIn

Step 2: Type the full name in the search bar

Step 3: Select their profile directly from the dropdown (if they’re a 1st connection)

• 3.1: Or click “See all results” for a complete list

• Step 4: Filter results to “People” to remove companies, jobs, and other content
• Step 5: Browse the matching profiles

2. How to search LinkedIn by name using advanced search

Once you’re on the search results page, you can use the advanced search functionalities to further filter your results with additional information:

• Job title: Zero in on decision-makers by their exact role
• Company: Target people at specific organizations (current or past)
• Industry: Narrow your focus to your target market
• Location: Refine by geographic territory or market
• Connections: Leverage your network’s reach (1st to 3rd degree)
• School: Tap into alumni networks when relevant

3. How to use LinkedIn search by name to find your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

Most sales teams start with a single name, but the real power of LinkedIn search is in identifying patterns, so you can uncover whole groups of prospects who match your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).

Transform single contacts into ICP-rich prospect lists:

Step 1 – Find your starting point: Start with one perfect example of your ideal buyer (like “Sarah Lee, Head of Marketing at Acme Corp”). This profile becomes your blueprint for finding similar decision-makers across your target market.

Step 2 – Leverage network intelligence: Your initial contact opens doors to similar profiles. The “People Also Viewed” section and company pages are goldmines for discovering other relevant stakeholders, buying committee members, and decision-makers in similar roles.

Step 3 – Scale your search strategically: Put LinkedIn’s advanced filters to work:

• Map entire buying committees within key accounts
• Surface similar roles across your target industries
• Filter by territory, company size, and market segment
• Identify decision-makers at companies matching your ICP

Step 4 – Build quality lists: Focus on prospects who truly match your ICP criteria – think company size, market maturity, decision-making authority, and territory fit. This targeted approach sets you up for higher response rates.

4. How to find someone on LinkedIn using a Google Search

If you’re struggling to find someone on LinkedIn — maybe you only remember part of their name, aren’t sure about the spelling, or want to perform a LinkedIn search without login— using Google can be a quick workaround.

By combining Google’s search capabilities with LinkedIn’s public profiles, you can often track down the right person quickly.

Here’s how you can use Google to find LinkedIn profiles with just a few simple steps:

1. Go to Google.com
2. Use this search string: site:linkedin.com/in/ “firstname lastname” “company name“. Add other relevant details like title or location to refine further
3. The matching LinkedIn profile typically appears as the first result

Here is an example of a search query you can use: “site:linkedin.com/in/ John Doe marketing San Francisco”.

How to scale your LinkedIn efforts

Now that you know how to search for people on LinkedIn by name — whether using the built-in search or even Google — you might be wondering how to take your outreach to the next level.

Scaling your LinkedIn strategy means reaching more of the right people, with less manual effort.

Today’s best practices focus on leveraging smart search techniques, advanced filters, and reputable tools to streamline your workflow. For example, you can:

• Use advanced Boolean search operators directly on LinkedIn to find profiles that match your ideal criteria (think: search by name and last name, job title, location, and more).
• Organize your search results to create a list of qualified leads ready for outreach.
• Use La Growth Machine to automatically enrich your LinkedIn prospects with verified professional data, then launch personalized outreach campaigns that connect with them where they’re most responsive.

TL;DR – Frequently asked questions

1. How do I perform a LinkedIn search by name and last name?

Start with the basics: enter their full name in LinkedIn’s search bar. Working with a common name like “David Smith”? Use filters like location, company, or role to zero in on the right professional.

2. How do I find someone on LinkedIn if I only have limited information?

Start with what you know — whether it’s their role, company, or shared connections. LinkedIn’s advanced filters are your allies here, helping you narrow down results even with minimal information.

3. Can I do a LinkedIn search by name without login?

Yes! Even if you don’t have a LinkedIn account or aren’t logged in, you can use Google to search public LinkedIn profiles. Type site:linkedin.com/in/ “firstname lastname” “company name” into the Google search bar to find publicly visible LinkedIn profiles.

4. How do I find someone on LinkedIn without them knowing?

Enable Private Mode in your LinkedIn privacy settings to browse profiles discreetly. Your profile visits won’t show up in others’ “Who’s viewed your profile” section.

5. Can non-LinkedIn members search for my profile?

Your public profile visibility depends entirely on your privacy settings. Non-members can find public profiles through search engines — adjust your settings if this concerns you.

6. Why can’t I find someone on LinkedIn?

Several factors could be at play: privacy settings, name variations, or profile visibility restrictions. Try adding more context to your search, like their company or location, to improve results.

7. How do I search for people on LinkedIn and export the results?

While LinkedIn doesn’t offer direct exports from basic or advanced search, you can build targeted prospect lists manually or with Sales Navigator.

Conclusion

Finding the right decision-makers on LinkedIn requires more than just typing names into a search bar. While LinkedIn offers various search capabilities — from basic name searches to advanced filtering — the key is knowing how to leverage these features strategically.

Think of LinkedIn as your professional radar: the better your search technique, the more precisely you can identify potential prospects, whether you’re logged in or not. And with nearly a billion professionals on the platform, having an efficient search strategy isn’t just helpful — it’s essential for focused prospecting.