diff --git a/src/backends/abstractcontact.h b/src/backends/abstractcontact.h
--- a/src/backends/abstractcontact.h
+++ b/src/backends/abstractcontact.h
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@
     virtual ~AbstractContact();
 
 //     well-known properties
+    /** String property representing the first name of the contact */
+    static const QString FirstNameProperty;
+
+    /** String property representing the last name of the contact */
+    static const QString LastNameProperty;
+
     /** String property representing the display name of the contact */
     static const QString NameProperty;
 
diff --git a/src/backends/abstractcontact.cpp b/src/backends/abstractcontact.cpp
--- a/src/backends/abstractcontact.cpp
+++ b/src/backends/abstractcontact.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 
 using namespace KPeople;
 
+const QString AbstractContact::FirstNameProperty = QStringLiteral("firstName");
+const QString AbstractContact::LastNameProperty = QStringLiteral("lastName");
 const QString AbstractContact::NameProperty = QStringLiteral("name");
 const QString AbstractContact::EmailProperty = QStringLiteral("email");
 const QString AbstractContact::PhoneNumberProperty = QStringLiteral("phoneNumber");
diff --git a/src/persondata.h b/src/persondata.h
--- a/src/persondata.h
+++ b/src/persondata.h
@@ -73,6 +73,16 @@
      */
     QStringList contactUris() const;
 
+    /**
+      * @returns the first name of the person
+      */
+    QString firstName() const;
+
+    /**
+      * @returns the last name of the person
+      */
+    QString lastName() const;
+
     /**
      * @returns the name of the person
      */
diff --git a/src/persondata.cpp b/src/persondata.cpp
--- a/src/persondata.cpp
+++ b/src/persondata.cpp
@@ -161,6 +161,16 @@
     return KPeople::iconNameForPresenceString(contactPresence);
 }
 
+QString PersonData::firstName() const
+{
+    return contactCustomProperty(AbstractContact::FirstNameProperty).toString();
+}
+
+QString PersonData::lastName() const
+{
+    return contactCustomProperty(AbstractContact::LastNameProperty).toString();
+}
+
 QString PersonData::name() const
 {
     return contactCustomProperty(AbstractContact::NameProperty).toString();