diff --git a/server/nouns.ts b/server/nouns.ts
index 76c400675..c4aab42e5 100644
--- a/server/nouns.ts
+++ b/server/nouns.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ type NounRowWithAuthor = NounRow & { author: User['username'] };
 export const parseNounRow = (nounRow: NounRow): Omit<NounRaw, 'sourcesData'> => {
     return {
         id: nounRow.id,
+        key: nounRow.key,
         words: JSON.parse(nounRow.words),
         classInstance: nounRow.classInstance ? JSON.parse(nounRow.classInstance) : null,
         categories: nounRow.categories?.split('|') ?? [],
diff --git a/src/classes.ts b/src/classes.ts
index a462367a3..6c11f5a1b 100644
--- a/src/classes.ts
+++ b/src/classes.ts
@@ -844,6 +844,7 @@ export class PronounLibrary {
 
 export interface NounRaw {
     id: string;
+    key?: string | null;
     words: NounWordsRaw;
     classInstance?: NounClassInstance | null;
     categories?: string[];
@@ -921,6 +922,7 @@ const hasWordOfGender = (words: NounWords, gender: Gender): boolean => {
 
 export class Noun implements Entry {
     id: string;
+    key: string;
     words: NounWords;
     classInstance: NounClassInstance | null;
     categories: string[];
@@ -932,6 +934,7 @@ export class Noun implements Entry {
 
     constructor(config: Config, nounRaw: NounRawWithLoadedWords) {
         this.id = nounRaw.id;
+        this.key = nounRaw.key ?? '';
         this.words = nounRaw.words;
         this.classInstance = nounRaw.classInstance ?? null;
         this.categories = nounRaw.categories ?? [];
@@ -996,7 +999,7 @@ export class Noun implements Entry {
         if (!this.approved && other.approved) {
             return -1;
         }
-        return collator.compare(this.firstWords[0], other.firstWords[0]);
+        return collator.compare(this.key, other.key);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1036,6 +1039,7 @@ export class NounTemplate {
 
     fill(stem: string): Omit<NounRawWithLoadedWords, 'id'> {
         return {
+            key: stem,
             words: {
                 masc: {
                     singular: this.masc.map((e) => ({ spelling: e.replace('-', stem) })),