Tristemente célebre

Tristemente célebre
 

The adjectival phrase "tristemente célebre" is a collocation which meaning is close to infamous. It means a person is just famous for their wrongdoings or for being inescapably associated to events that move to commiseration.

The victim in an awful case can be "tristemente célebre" as well as their killer. That's why infamous is not an exact match for this expression.

How may I convey the same meaning in English, using two different sets of expressions, if needed?

Sadly famous ?

No, 'sadly famous' isn't quite right.

Instead of that, I would say 'unfortunate fame' or something like it.

Two expressions are needed, I think.

inglorious/ill-fated fame (for the victim)
infamous or notorious (for the perpetrator)

Thank you, Rusty!

I thought about "sadly famous" too, but it sounded just a literal translation.

Both ways are used in Spanish too, with "infame" and "de triste destino" or "malogrado", this one specifically used with those departed while young.

El infame Al Capone (o Osama ben Laden)
El malogrado James Dean (o Heath Ledger)
La actriz Sharon Tate, de atormentada vida y triste destino.

unwitting or hapless perpetrator/victim
In New York jargon from Yiddish, less common these days: schlemiel (hapless victim)/ schlimazel (hapless perpetrator)


In fact all you need is ignominious. That's the word! It's fancy English,though. Not too many people use it.