diff --git a/frontend/src/__tests__/components/header/usePostHeaderQuickSearch.test.js b/frontend/src/__tests__/components/header/usePostHeaderQuickSearch.test.js
index 9eade9c750..b13c84ebef 100644
--- a/frontend/src/__tests__/components/header/usePostHeaderQuickSearch.test.js
+++ b/frontend/src/__tests__/components/header/usePostHeaderQuickSearch.test.js
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ describe("usePostHeaderQuickSearch", () => {
     });
 
     expect(axios.post).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      "/api/v3/search/individual?size=10",
+      "/api/v3/search/individual?size=10&sort=id&sortOrder=asc",
       expect.any(Object),
     );
     expect(result.current.searchResults).toEqual(mockData.data.hits);
diff --git a/frontend/src/models/usePostHeaderQuickSearch.js b/frontend/src/models/usePostHeaderQuickSearch.js
index cb5c697c98..037ef45199 100644
--- a/frontend/src/models/usePostHeaderQuickSearch.js
+++ b/frontend/src/models/usePostHeaderQuickSearch.js
@@ -14,32 +14,80 @@ export default function usePostHeaderQuickSearch(value) {
 
     const delayDebounce = setTimeout(() => {
       setLoading(true);
+      const searchValue = value.trim();
+      const searchValueLower = searchValue.toLowerCase();
       axios
-        .post("/api/v3/search/individual?size=10", {
+        .post("/api/v3/search/individual?size=10&sort=id&sortOrder=asc", {
           query: {
             bool: {
+              minimum_should_match: 1,
               should: [
+                // Exact match on ID - highest priority (case-insensitive via wildcard)
+                // Note: id field is keyword without normalizer, so we use wildcard
+                // with no wildcards for case-insensitive exact match
                 {
                   wildcard: {
-                    names: {
-                      value: `*${value}*`,
+                    id: {
+                      value: searchValue,
                       case_insensitive: true,
+                      boost: 100,
+                    },
+                  },
+                },
+                // Prefix match on ID - high priority
+                {
+                  wildcard: {
+                    id: {
+                      value: `${searchValue}*`,
+                      case_insensitive: true,
+                      boost: 50,
+                    },
+                  },
+                },
+                // Exact match on names - high priority
+                // names field has normalizer, so term query with lowercase works
+                {
+                  term: {
+                    names: {
+                      value: searchValueLower,
+                      boost: 80,
                     },
                   },
                 },
+                // Prefix match on names - medium priority
+                {
+                  prefix: {
+                    names: {
+                      value: searchValueLower,
+                      boost: 40,
+                    },
+                  },
+                },
+                // Wildcard fallback for partial matches - lower priority
                 {
                   wildcard: {
                     id: {
-                      value: `*${value}*`,
+                      value: `*${searchValue}*`,
+                      case_insensitive: true,
+                      boost: 10,
+                    },
+                  },
+                },
+                {
+                  wildcard: {
+                    names: {
+                      value: `*${searchValue}*`,
                       case_insensitive: true,
+                      boost: 5,
                     },
                   },
                 },
                 {
                   wildcard: {
                     encounterIds: {
-                      value: `*${value}*`,
+                      value: `*${searchValue}*`,
                       case_insensitive: true,
+                      boost: 1,
                     },
                   },
                 },