diff --git a/backend/internal/service/user_group_service.go b/backend/internal/service/user_group_service.go
index 44eef737..096d958a 100644
--- a/backend/internal/service/user_group_service.go
+++ b/backend/internal/service/user_group_service.go
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ func (s *UserGroupService) List(ctx context.Context, name string, listRequestOpt
 		Model(&model.UserGroup{})
 
 	if name != "" {
-		query = query.Where("name LIKE ?", "%"+name+"%")
+		searchPattern := "%" + name + "%"
+		query = query.Where("name LIKE ? OR friendly_name LIKE ?", searchPattern, searchPattern)
 	}
 
 	// As userCount is not a column we need to manually sort it
diff --git a/backend/internal/service/user_group_service_test.go b/backend/internal/service/user_group_service_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..351db318
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/internal/service/user_group_service_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package service
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/pocket-id/pocket-id/backend/internal/dto"
+	"github.com/pocket-id/pocket-id/backend/internal/utils"
+)
+
+func TestUserGroupListSearchMatchesFriendlyName(t *testing.T) {
+	_, groupService := newTestUserService(t)
+
+	_, err := groupService.Create(t.Context(), dto.UserGroupCreateDto{
+		Name:         "qa_team",
+		FriendlyName: "QA Engineering",
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	// A search for the friendly name must find the group, since the
+	// friendly name is the name shown in the UI.
+	groups, pagination, err := groupService.List(t.Context(), "Engineering", utils.ListRequestOptions{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, groups, 1)
+	require.Equal(t, "QA Engineering", groups[0].FriendlyName)
+	require.EqualValues(t, 1, pagination.TotalItems)
+
+	// The internal name must remain searchable too.
+	groups, _, err = groupService.List(t.Context(), "qa_team", utils.ListRequestOptions{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Len(t, groups, 1)
+	require.Equal(t, "QA Engineering", groups[0].FriendlyName)
+
+	// A fragment matching neither field returns nothing.
+	groups, _, err = groupService.List(t.Context(), "Design", utils.ListRequestOptions{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Empty(t, groups)
+}