big name
noun
a person who has a preeminent public reputation in a specified field.
big name
1 Americannoun
big-name
2
American
[big-naym]
/ ˈbɪgˌneɪm /
adjective
-
having a widespread public reputation as a leader in a specified field; famous.
a big-name doctor; a big-name actress.
-
of, relating to, or composed of a big-name person or persons.
big name
British
noun
Etymology
Origin of big name1
An Americanism dating back to 1930–35
Origin of big-name2
An Americanism dating back to 1925–30
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Health-ring maker Oura is the latest big name to put its IPO plans on hold, joining a growing list of companies rethinking their public-market debuts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Pop star Christina Aguilera has been announced as the final big name addition to the line-up for a royal estate music event.
From BBC ● Jun. 4, 2026
Heron Power, a start-up focused on making solid-state transformers for data centers, has been raising money at a fast clip from big name investors.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
The easy thing then would have been to play it safe and hire a big name from the glittering ranks of unemployed managers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
They march to the border of Grosse Pointe with his big name and his face on big posters, and they shout, “I am Kasim Anderson!”
From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi
A splashy donation to a big-name school, like Griffin’s, can also be a good way for philanthropists to generate headlines and help secure their legacy.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
At a time when many big-name comedians continue to fall out of favor with viewers, that might be Hargitay’s most crucial asset.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
London City were a bit of an unknown entity in pre-season given the arrival of several big-name players.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
They have glitter on the ceiling, which sets the tone immediately, and a lot of big-name DJs who will do secret sets there.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
“Moss, she’s from NBC. You know, one of them big-name reporters?”
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
