How to Keep Multiple Lists of Contacts on One OS X Account

My wife and I share an iMac with OS X 10.8.2. How do I create a second Contacts database for my wife to use? She doesn’t want to share my contacts. We currently use Contacts to sync our contacts between our iOS devices. Any options?

While Contacts does not allow for multiple databases (unless you want to use multiple accounts in OS X), there is an easy solution when you have a single shared OS X account: using Groups.

To do this, open the Contacts app, and select File > New Group. The new group will appear in the Contacts left-hand sidebar. Edit the name to your liking (such as “My iPhone,” “Her iPhone,” etc.), and then proceed to drag the contacts destined for the particular user’s iPhone from your All Contacts group to the newly created group. You’ll want to do this for as many different iPhone users as you wish to sync.