Bold name

Bold name (sometimes written as bold-name) refers to a person who is the subject of recognition in media such as "Page Six, the New York Post's marquee gossip page," where "even when the mentions were not entirely positive" there is perceived value. The mechanism, whether the subject of imitation or irony, is seen as effective and influential.

Those whose names are bolded benefit from being "savvy in self-promotion." The wife of King Edward VIII asked "Can you tell me who Marilyn Monroe's publicity agent is?" The names of these individuals are sometimes referred to as Boldface names.

Beyond scorecarding, there are financial goals too. Although mentions are sometimes alarming, being ignored can be worse.

History
The New York Times's William Safire wrote about its history, which he traced back to Shakespeare.

Clustering
Media coverage of bold name individuals attending an event includes both competition among attendees and among those covering the event. Some events are geared for bold name participants. In the Hamptons, "readerships include many of the boldface names who make their homes (at least occasionally)."