big name

noun

: a performer or personage of top rank in popular recognition

a big name in the business world

big-name

ˈbig-ˌnām 

adjective

Examples of big name in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Legacy’s Sunday Broadway Concert series featuring big names from New York theater was 98% sold out this year. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 Nov. 2026

The inaugural Tallinn fest’s opening film came from a big name. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026

Inspired by underdog Chuck Wepner going the distance against Muhammad Ali, Stallone wrote Rocky in just a few days, and the script soon drew massive offers, with the intention of casting a big name like Robert Redford or Burt Reynolds. — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2026

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed the 20-year-old as a source of national pride, while Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner joined other big names in sports to congratulate the young racer with social media posts. — Chris Livesay, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for big name

• acclaim
• aflame
• airframe
• ballgame
• became
• declaim
• defame
• disclaim
• doorframe
• exclaim
• inflame
• mainframe