"Name-dropping" is exaggerating how well you know famous people. Some friends of mine own stock in a company named Berkshire Hathaway. It is run by a famous investor named Warren Buffett. They go to the stockholders meetings. They were sitting in an auditorium when Warren Buffett was speaking, perhaps they stood in a long line and shook hands, perhaps they said "What's your favorite kind of See's Candy" and he said "The chocolate orange lollypops." For weeks after the meeting, all their conversations are about "Warren" and "what Warren said" and "according to Warren and Bill." As if they were on a first-name basis with Mr. Buffett and Mr. Gates.

"Name dropping": When one has a problem with the police, and he says: "The Police Commissioner is a good friend of mine." It describes an attempt to gain favor by telling people that one knows someone important.

To "name-drop" means to talk about important or famous people as if you know them personally.