How tto search for a specific person?

Hi everyone,
I want to know, if i can search for a specific person using "search" option.
I read in my log, a person was searching someone to assist him in a quest, but I wasn't able to find him nearby (maybe he was nearby, but the loading in this game is just horribly slow amd limited). I wanted to answer him but I wasn't able to find him anywhere. The "search" option is just weak, because i can't type in any name or sorting the results by categories like abc.
My question is as follow: How can i search for a person, if i only know his name?
I don't want to klick through a list with 200 names randomly sorted evrytime.
How reliable is the "search" option at all?
I was trying to find people to join me a few times myself, but i never got a reponse.

Am i doing anything wrong or is the social-features in this game just weak?
Am I really playing a mmorpg where people can freely associate with eachother?

if you know his name, send a tell by typing "/tell (First Name) (Last name)

i.e. /tell Taal Azura

Thank you TaalAzura.
I guess this is the easiest way to respond to people.
It's just very inconvenient, if i am in a crowded place and random comments keep pop up.
It would be better, if i can click on the message to directely answer to the person.

This game is really frustrating, but somehow i keep coming back to play.
I guess all ff14 player are somehow more or less hidden masochist.