diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Model/DirectorySearch.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Model/DirectorySearch.swift
index 6b80090c15..a6df76ff97 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Model/DirectorySearch.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Model/DirectorySearch.swift
@@ -98,3 +98,89 @@ func parseDirectorySearchResponse(_ resp: JSONValue) -> DirectorySearchResults?
     }
     return DirectorySearchResults(entries: entries, cursor: r.searchCursor)
 }
+
+func planLocalChatId(_ plan: ConnectionPlan) -> ChatId? {
+    switch plan {
+    case let .contactAddress(contactAddressPlan):
+        switch contactAddressPlan {
+        case let .known(contact), let .connectingProhibit(contact), let .contactViaAddress(contact): return contact.id
+        case .ok, .ownLink, .connectingConfirmReconnect: return nil
+        }
+    case let .groupLink(groupLinkPlan):
+        switch groupLinkPlan {
+        case let .known(groupInfo), let .ownLink(groupInfo): return groupInfo.id
+        case let .connectingProhibit(groupInfo_): return groupInfo_?.id
+        case .ok, .connectingConfirmReconnect, .noRelays, .updateRequired: return nil
+        }
+    case let .invitationLink(invitationLinkPlan):
+        switch invitationLinkPlan {
+        case let .known(contact): return contact.id
+        case let .connecting(contact_): return contact_?.id
+        case .ok, .ownLink: return nil
+        }
+    case .error: return nil
+    }
+}
+
+struct NameSearchResult: Identifiable {
+    let target: String
+    let simplexName: String
+    let profileName: String?
+    let descr: String?
+    let image: String?
+    let iconName: String
+    let localChatId: ChatId?
+    // the link the core resolved the name to, never a profile field the name's owner wrote
+    let resolvedLink: String?
+
+    var id: String { target }
+
+    init?(target: String, result: ConnectionPlanResult) {
+        let profile: (any NamedChat)?
+        switch result.connectionPlan {
+        case let .contactAddress(contactAddressPlan):
+            switch contactAddressPlan {
+            case let .ok(contactSLinkData_, _): profile = contactSLinkData_?.profile
+            case let .contactViaAddress(contact), let .connectingProhibit(contact), let .known(contact): profile = contact.profile
+            case .connectingConfirmReconnect: profile = nil
+            case .ownLink: return nil
+            }
+            iconName = "person.crop.circle.fill"
+            resolvedLink = nil
+        case let .groupLink(groupLinkPlan):
+            let groupProfile: GroupProfile?
+            switch groupLinkPlan {
+            case let .ok(_, groupSLinkData_, _), let .noRelays(groupSLinkData_), let .updateRequired(groupSLinkData_): groupProfile = groupSLinkData_?.groupProfile
+            case let .known(groupInfo), let .ownLink(groupInfo): groupProfile = groupInfo.groupProfile
+            case let .connectingProhibit(groupInfo_): groupProfile = groupInfo_?.groupProfile
+            case .connectingConfirmReconnect: groupProfile = nil
+            }
+            profile = groupProfile
+            iconName = groupProfile?.isChannel == true ? "antenna.radiowaves.left.and.right.circle.fill" : "person.2.circle.fill"
+            resolvedLink = result.connLink.connShortLink
+        case .invitationLink, .error:
+            return nil
+        }
+        self.target = target
+        simplexName = result.planSimplexName?.shortStr ?? target
+        profileName = profile?.displayName
+        descr = profile?.shortDescr
+        image = profile?.image
+        localChatId = planLocalChatId(result.connectionPlan)
+    }
+}
+
+struct DirectoryResult: Identifiable {
+    let entry: DirectorySearchEntry
+    let localChatId: ChatId?
+
+    var id: String { entry.id }
+}
+
+struct OnlineSearchRows {
+    var names: [NameSearchResult]
+    var directory: [DirectoryResult]
+    var footer: DirectoryFooter?
+
+    var isEmpty: Bool { names.isEmpty && directory.isEmpty && footer == nil }
+}
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Model/SimpleXAPI.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Model/SimpleXAPI.swift
index 1410492da3..2c82349bc8 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Model/SimpleXAPI.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Model/SimpleXAPI.swift
@@ -1057,7 +1057,11 @@ func apiSearchDirectory(_ text: String, cursor: JSONValue?) async -> DirectorySe
     return nil
 }
 
-func apiConnectPlan(connLink: String, resolveMode: PlanResolveMode = .unknown, linkOwnerSig: LinkOwnerSig? = nil, inProgress: BoxedValue<Bool>) async -> ConnectionPlanResult? {
+enum ConnectPlanFailure {
+    case alert, log
+}
+
+func apiConnectPlan(connLink: String, resolveMode: PlanResolveMode = .unknown, linkOwnerSig: LinkOwnerSig? = nil, inProgress: BoxedValue<Bool>, onFailure: ConnectPlanFailure = .alert) async -> ConnectionPlanResult? {
     guard let userId = ChatModel.shared.currentUser?.userId else {
         logger.error("apiConnectPlan: no current user")
         return nil
@@ -1068,7 +1072,12 @@ func apiConnectPlan(connLink: String, resolveMode: PlanResolveMode = .unknown, l
     }
     // a .never (typing) search that matches nothing locally is not an error to surface
     if case .error(.error(.notResolvedLocally)) = r { return nil }
-    if let r { await apiConnectResponseAlert(r) }
+    if let r {
+        switch onFailure {
+        case .alert: await apiConnectResponseAlert(r)
+        case .log: logger.debug("apiConnectPlan: \(String(describing: r))")
+        }
+    }
     return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatListView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatListView.swift
index 961c2344c1..087eeefdfd 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatListView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatListView.swift
@@ -447,9 +447,11 @@ struct ChatListView: View {
                 .scaleEffect(x: 1, y: oneHandUI ? -1 : 1, anchor: .center)
                 .padding(.horizontal)
                 if onlineSearch.showResults {
+                    let rows = onlineSearch.rows(shownChatIds: [])
                     List {
-                        directoryRows()
-                        if !onlineSearch.loading && onlineSearch.entries.isEmpty && onlineSearch.footer == nil {
+                        nameRows(rows.names)
+                        directoryRows(rows)
+                        if !onlineSearch.searching && rows.isEmpty {
                             Text("No chats found")
                                 .foregroundColor(theme.colors.secondary)
                                 .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .center)
@@ -478,26 +480,34 @@ struct ChatListView: View {
         }
     }
 
-    @ViewBuilder private func directoryRows() -> some View {
-        let footer = onlineSearch.footer
-        if !onlineSearch.entries.isEmpty || footer != nil {
-            Text("Directory")
-                .font(.callout)
-                .foregroundColor(theme.colors.secondary)
-                .accessibilityAddTraits(.isHeader)
-                .scaleEffect(x: 1, y: oneHandUI ? -1 : 1, anchor: .center)
-                .listRowSeparator(.hidden)
-                .listRowBackground(Color.clear)
-            ForEach(onlineSearch.entries) { entry in
-                DirectorySearchRow(entry: entry)
+    @ViewBuilder private func nameRows(_ names: [NameSearchResult]) -> some View {
+        if !names.isEmpty {
+            searchPartHeader("Names")
+            ForEach(names) { result in
+                NameSearchRow(result: result)
                     .scaleEffect(x: 1, y: oneHandUI ? -1 : 1, anchor: .center)
                     .listRowBackground(Color.clear)
                     .onTapGesture {
                         searchFocussed = false
-                        planAndConnect(entry.link, theme: theme, dismiss: false, cleanup: nil)
+                        planAndConnect(result.target, theme: theme, dismiss: false, cleanup: nil)
                     }
             }
-            switch footer {
+        }
+    }
+
+    @ViewBuilder private func directoryRows(_ rows: OnlineSearchRows) -> some View {
+        if !rows.directory.isEmpty || rows.footer != nil {
+            searchPartHeader("Directory")
+            ForEach(rows.directory) { result in
+                DirectorySearchRow(entry: result.entry)
+                    .scaleEffect(x: 1, y: oneHandUI ? -1 : 1, anchor: .center)
+                    .listRowBackground(Color.clear)
+                    .onTapGesture {
+                        searchFocussed = false
+                        planAndConnect(result.entry.link, theme: theme, dismiss: false, cleanup: nil)
+                    }
+            }
+            switch rows.footer {
             case .retry: directoryRetryRow()
             case .showMore: directoryShowMoreRow()
             case nil: EmptyView()
@@ -505,6 +515,16 @@ struct ChatListView: View {
         }
     }
 
+    private func searchPartHeader(_ title: LocalizedStringKey) -> some View {
+        Text(title)
+            .font(.callout)
+            .foregroundColor(theme.colors.secondary)
+            .accessibilityAddTraits(.isHeader)
+            .scaleEffect(x: 1, y: oneHandUI ? -1 : 1, anchor: .center)
+            .listRowSeparator(.hidden)
+            .listRowBackground(Color.clear)
+    }
+
     private func openGetStake() {
         getStakeBannerTapped = true
         showGetStakeSheet = true
@@ -512,6 +532,7 @@ struct ChatListView: View {
 
     private var chatListContent: some View {
         let cs = filteredChats()
+        let rows = onlineSearch.rows(shownChatIds: Set(cs.map { $0.id }))
         return ZStack {
             ScrollViewReader { scrollProxy in
                 List {
@@ -614,7 +635,8 @@ struct ChatListView: View {
                             .disabled(chatModel.chatRunning != true || chatModel.deletedChats.contains(chat.chatInfo.id))
                         }
                     }
-                    directoryRows()
+                    nameRows(rows.names)
+                    directoryRows(rows)
                     if !addressCreationCardShown && hasConversations {
                         ConnectBannerCard()
                             .padding(.vertical, 6)
@@ -641,8 +663,8 @@ struct ChatListView: View {
                     }
                 }
             }
-            // this covers the whole list, so it must not hide the directory section or its own messages
-            if cs.isEmpty && !chatModel.chats.isEmpty && !onlineSearch.loading && onlineSearch.entries.isEmpty && onlineSearch.footer == nil {
+            // this covers the whole list, so it must not hide the online results or their messages
+            if cs.isEmpty && !chatModel.chats.isEmpty && !onlineSearch.searching && rows.isEmpty {
                 noChatsView()
                     .scaleEffect(x: 1, y: oneHandUI ? -1 : 1, anchor: .center)
                     .foregroundColor(.secondary)
@@ -840,7 +862,7 @@ struct ChatListSearchBar: View {
         VStack(spacing: 12) {
             // a typed name shows a row to connect to it (as on Android mobile): with the reachable toolbar it
             // replaces the tags above the search field; in top bar mode the tags stay and it moves below (end of VStack)
-            if oneHandUI, let candidate = connectNameCandidate {
+            if oneHandUI, let candidate = connectNameCandidate, onlineSearch.names.isEmpty {
                 ConnectByNameRow(
                     name: candidate,
                     searchText: $searchText,
@@ -864,7 +886,7 @@ struct ChatListSearchBar: View {
                         .focused($searchFocussed)
                         .frame(maxWidth: .infinity)
                         .submitLabel(.search)
-                        .onSubmit(runDirectorySearch)
+                        .onSubmit(runOnlineSearch)
                     if connectProgressManager.showConnectProgress != nil {
                         ProgressView()
                     }
@@ -891,7 +913,7 @@ struct ChatListSearchBar: View {
                     toggleFilterButton()
                 }
             }
-            if !oneHandUI, let candidate = connectNameCandidate {
+            if !oneHandUI, let candidate = connectNameCandidate, onlineSearch.names.isEmpty {
                 ConnectByNameRow(
                     name: candidate,
                     searchText: $searchText,
@@ -1015,7 +1037,14 @@ struct ChatListSearchBar: View {
     private func runDirectorySearch() {
         let text = searchTrimmed
         guard !text.isEmpty, !searchShowingSimplexLink else { return }
-        confirmDirectorySearch { Task { await onlineSearch.search(text) } }
+        confirmDirectorySearch { Task { await onlineSearch.searchDirectory(text) } }
+    }
+
+    private func runOnlineSearch() {
+        let text = searchTrimmed
+        guard !text.isEmpty, !searchShowingSimplexLink else { return }
+        let name = connectNameCandidate
+        confirmDirectorySearch { Task { await onlineSearch.search(text, name: name) } }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/DirectorySearchView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/DirectorySearchView.swift
index 5fb810240c..d033fff14f 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/DirectorySearchView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/DirectorySearchView.swift
@@ -13,11 +13,13 @@ enum DirectoryFooter {
     case retry, showMore
 }
 
-// Directory results are not chats and are never saved: they live as long as the search text does.
+// Online results are not chats and are never saved: they live as long as the search text does.
 @MainActor
 class OnlineSearchModel: ObservableObject {
-    @Published private(set) var entries: [DirectorySearchEntry] = []
+    @Published private(set) var names: [NameSearchResult] = []
+    @Published private(set) var directory: [DirectoryResult] = []
     @Published private(set) var loading = false
+    @Published private(set) var resolvingNames = false
     @Published private(set) var failed = false
     // tells "nothing searched yet" apart from "searched and found nothing"
     @Published private(set) var searched = false
@@ -26,32 +28,63 @@ class OnlineSearchModel: ObservableObject {
     private var searchedText = ""
     // bumped on every reset, so a reply that arrives too late cannot refill a list already cleared
     private var generation = 0
+    private var spinnerShown = false
 
-    var showResults: Bool { loading || searched }
+    var searching: Bool { loading || resolvingNames }
+    var showResults: Bool { searching || searched || !names.isEmpty }
     var footer: DirectoryFooter? { failed ? .retry : cursor != nil ? .showMore : nil }
 
     func reset() {
         generation += 1
-        entries = []
+        names = []
+        directory = []
         cursor = nil
         loading = false
+        resolvingNames = false
         failed = false
         searched = false
         searchedText = ""
-        ConnectProgressManager.shared.stopConnectProgress(.directorySearch)
+        updateSpinner()
     }
 
-    // a way out of the wait, not out of the results: the page already shown stays
+    // a way out of the wait, not out of the results: what is already shown stays
     func cancelRequest() {
         generation += 1
         loading = false
+        resolvingNames = false
+        updateSpinner()
     }
 
-    func search(_ text: String) async {
+    func search(_ text: String, name: String?) async {
         let text = text.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespaces)
-        guard !text.isEmpty, !(loading && text == searchedText) else { return }
+        guard !text.isEmpty, !(searching && text == searchedText) else { return }
         reset()
         searchedText = text
+        if let name {
+            resolvingNames = true
+            updateSpinner()
+            // captured here: the async let initializer runs later, in the child task, possibly after a reset
+            let gen = generation
+            async let resolution: Void = resolveNames(name, generation: gen)
+            await request(append: false)
+            await resolution
+        } else {
+            await request(append: false)
+        }
+    }
+
+    func searchDirectory(_ text: String) async {
+        let text = text.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespaces)
+        guard !text.isEmpty, !(loading && text == searchedText) else { return }
+        if text == searchedText {
+            directory = []
+            cursor = nil
+            failed = false
+            searched = false
+        } else {
+            reset()
+            searchedText = text
+        }
         await request(append: false)
     }
 
@@ -64,34 +97,83 @@ class OnlineSearchModel: ObservableObject {
     func retry() async {
         if cursor != nil {
             await loadMore()
-        } else {
-            await search(searchedText)
+        } else if !loading {
+            await request(append: false)
         }
     }
 
+    func rows(shownChatIds: Set<ChatId>) -> OnlineSearchRows {
+        let nameChatIds = Set(names.compactMap { $0.localChatId })
+        let nameLinks = Set(names.compactMap { $0.resolvedLink })
+        func isAmong(_ ids: Set<ChatId>, _ id: ChatId?) -> Bool {
+            id.map { ids.contains($0) } ?? false
+        }
+        return OnlineSearchRows(
+            names: names.filter { !isAmong(shownChatIds, $0.localChatId) },
+            directory: directory.filter {
+                !isAmong(shownChatIds, $0.localChatId) && !isAmong(nameChatIds, $0.localChatId) && !nameLinks.contains($0.entry.link)
+            },
+            footer: footer
+        )
+    }
+
+    private func resolveNames(_ name: String, generation gen: Int) async {
+        let targets = name.hasPrefix("@") || name.hasPrefix("#") ? [name] : ["@" + name, "#" + name]
+        var results: [NameSearchResult] = []
+        for target in targets {
+            // checked before each target: a cancelled or replaced search must not send more names to the server
+            guard gen == generation else { return }
+            if let r = await apiConnectPlan(connLink: target, resolveMode: .unknown, inProgress: BoxedValue(false), onFailure: .log),
+               let result = NameSearchResult(target: target, result: r) {
+                results.append(result)
+            }
+        }
+        guard gen == generation else { return }
+        resolvingNames = false
+        updateSpinner()
+        names = results
+    }
+
     private func request(append: Bool) async {
         let gen = generation
         loading = true
         failed = false
-        ConnectProgressManager.shared.startConnectProgress(
-            NSLocalizedString("Searching directory…", comment: "in progress text"),
-            owner: .directorySearch
-        ) { [weak self] in
-            Task { @MainActor in self?.cancelRequest() }
-        }
+        updateSpinner()
         let r = await apiSearchDirectory(searchedText, cursor: cursor)
+        var page: [DirectoryResult] = []
+        if let r {
+            var seen = Set(directory.map { $0.id })
+            for entry in r.entries {
+                guard seen.insert(entry.id).inserted else { continue }
+                let plan = await apiConnectPlan(connLink: entry.link, resolveMode: .never, inProgress: BoxedValue(false), onFailure: .log)
+                page.append(DirectoryResult(entry: entry, localChatId: plan.flatMap { planLocalChatId($0.connectionPlan) }))
+            }
+        }
         guard gen == generation else { return }
-        ConnectProgressManager.shared.stopConnectProgress(.directorySearch)
         loading = false
         searched = true
+        updateSpinner()
         guard let r else {
             failed = true
             return
         }
         cursor = r.cursor
-        let known = Set(entries.map { $0.id })
-        let fresh = r.entries.filter { !known.contains($0.id) }
-        entries = append ? entries + fresh : fresh
+        directory = append ? directory + page : page
+    }
+
+    private func updateSpinner() {
+        guard searching != spinnerShown else { return }
+        spinnerShown = searching
+        if spinnerShown {
+            ConnectProgressManager.shared.startConnectProgress(
+                NSLocalizedString("Searching directory…", comment: "in progress text"),
+                owner: .directorySearch
+            ) { [weak self] in
+                Task { @MainActor in self?.cancelRequest() }
+            }
+        } else {
+            ConnectProgressManager.shared.stopConnectProgress(.directorySearch)
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -168,6 +250,33 @@ struct DirectorySearchRow: View {
     }
 }
 
+struct NameSearchRow: View {
+    @EnvironmentObject var theme: AppTheme
+    var result: NameSearchResult
+
+    var body: some View {
+        HStack(spacing: 8) {
+            ProfileImage(imageStr: result.image, iconName: result.iconName, size: 42)
+            VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 2) {
+                if let profileName = result.profileName {
+                    (Text(profileName).fontWeight(.bold) + Text(verbatim: " (\(result.simplexName))").foregroundColor(theme.colors.secondary))
+                        .lineLimit(1)
+                } else {
+                    Text(result.simplexName).fontWeight(.bold).lineLimit(1)
+                }
+                if let descr = result.descr, !descr.isEmpty {
+                    Text(descr)
+                        .foregroundColor(theme.colors.secondary)
+                        .lineLimit(2)
+                }
+            }
+            Spacer()
+        }
+        .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
+        .contentShape(Rectangle())
+    }
+}
+
 struct DirectoryShowMoreRow: View {
     @EnvironmentObject var theme: AppTheme
     @ObservedObject var onlineSearch: OnlineSearchModel
@@ -208,7 +317,7 @@ func confirmDirectorySearch(_ search: @escaping () -> Void) {
 private func showDirectorySearchAlert(onSearch: @escaping () -> Void) {
     showAlert(
         NSLocalizedString("Search in Directory?", comment: "alert title"),
-        message: NSLocalizedString("The text in the search field will be sent to SimpleX Directory to find public groups and channels.\n\nNo contact is created and your profile is not sent.", comment: "alert message"),
+        message: NSLocalizedString("The text in the search field will be sent to SimpleX Directory to find public groups and channels. If it is a SimpleX name, it will also be sent to your server that resolves names.\n\nNo contact is created and your profile is not sent.", comment: "alert message"),
         actions: {[
             UIAlertAction(title: NSLocalizedString("Cancel", comment: "alert action"), style: .cancel),
             UIAlertAction(