var ContactModel = Backbone.Model.extend(); var contactData = [ {firstName: 'John',lastName: 'Doe',phone: '1-111-1111'}, {firstName: 'Jane',lastName: 'Doe',phone: '2-222-2222'}, {firstName: 'Cody',lastName: 'Lindley',phone: '3-333-3333'} ]; var contacts = new Backbone.Collection(contactData,{ model:ContactModel, comparator: 'firstName' //keep models sorted by firstName }); console.log( //logs Cody Jane John, note this is not the order they were added contacts.models[0].get('firstName'), contacts.models[1].get('firstName'), contacts.models[2].get('firstName') );