name drop
Flaunt famous connections
To name drop is to casually mention famous or important people you know (or claim to know) in conversation, usually to impress others or elevate your own status.
The practice carries a whiff of insecurity or social climbing: He kept name dropping celebrities he'd met at the party.
Also spelled as one word or hyphenated.
A name dropper is someone who does this habitually.
Casual strategic socializing
- minglingCasual social interaction
- socializingEngaging with others recreationally
- connectionsRelationships between things
- contactsPeople you know professionally
insider access · social climbing · working the room · introductions · well-connected · inner circle · cocktail party · power lunch
Reputation commanding admiration
- cloutInformal power or punch
- credibilityQuality inspiring trust
- influencePower to affect others
- social capitalResources from interpersonal networks
cachet · reputation · impressiveness · legitimacy · authority · exclusivity · elite · aspirational
Given to self-praise
- show-offOne who flaunts
- self-promotionPublicizing one's own merits
- swaggerConfident, boastful manner
- grandstandingPerforming to impress onlookers
brag · humble-brag · one-upmanship · pretentious · smug · vain · ostentatious · pompous
schmoozing
Casual strategic socializing
- minglingCasual social interaction
- socializingEngaging with others recreationally
- connectionsRelationships between things
contacts · insider access · social climbing · working the room · introductions · well-connected · inner circle · cocktail party · power lunch · gatekeeping
prestige
Reputation commanding admiration
- cloutInformal power or punch
- credibilityQuality inspiring trust
- influencePower to affect others
social capital · cachet · reputation · impressiveness · legitimacy · authority · exclusivity · elite · aspirational · status-seeking
boastful
Given to self-praise
- show-offOne who flaunts
- self-promotionPublicizing one's own merits
- swaggerConfident, boastful manner
grandstanding · brag · humble-brag · one-upmanship · pretentious · smug · vain · ostentatious · pompous · showy
Hollywood
American film industry center
red carpet · paparazzi · VIP · entourage · spotlight · glamour · exclusive · insider · publicist · premiere
reference
Directing attention elsewhere
invoke · slip in · hint · imply · suggest · intimate · let slip · throw out
- acknowledgmentsacknowledgment, acknowledgement, acknowledgments, acknowledgment, dedications
- Braggingbrag, gloat, show off, flex, swagger
- showing offboasting, bragged, show off, bragging, boasted
- namessurnames, nicknames, forenames, surname, pseudonyms
- chitchatsmall talk, banter, chitchat, chatter, chat
- power idiomspull strings, hold sway, call the shots, throw weight around, power play
name dropkeep it real
Remain honest and authentic
self-deprecate · keeping it real · stay grounded · hide one's light under a bushel · humble brag