casually mention (the name of a famous person one knows or claims to know) in order to impress others

the manager was name-dropping all of the celebrities who had dined at the tables right next to us

he fawned and name-dropped in order to ingratiate himself with his audience

the practice of casually mentioning the names of famous people one knows or claims to know in order to impress others

name-dropping, snobbery, and generally pathetic attempts to be seen and be admired