If you can't spell someone's name, use your best guess for their last name only:

Last name or first field only:

Otherwise enter last name, first name with correct spelling:

Last name, first name:

More on options for the name search:
NameBase is a proper name index only — it contains names of individuals, groups, and corporations, but no subject categories. The names of individuals must be entered with the last name first, as in SMITH, JOHN Q. Searching is case-insensitive. The portion in front of the comma (or if no comma, the portion in front of the first space) is considered the "first field." This is equivalent to the individual's surname. In the second box above, a question mark may follow two or more letters to force a leading-letters matching mode. For example, SM?, JOHN would find SMYTHE and SMITH, if their first name is JOHN. The more common the name, the more it helps to specify the first name, or at least the first initial. The names of groups and corporations are entered normally, except that little words such as "on," "of," and "the" should be dropped.

If your input matches no more than one name, you will often be rewarded with extra data, in the form of names that appear on the same pages as the name that interests you. To hit on one name only, enter sufficient information to make it unique. It may also help to use the "best guess" box to see a list of names, and from there click on the name you want.