diff --git a/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py b/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
index ebc828fd..21666bea 100644
--- a/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
+++ b/numpydoc/docscrape_sphinx.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ def load_config(self, config):
         self.xref_param_type = config.get('xref_param_type', False)
         self.xref_aliases = config.get('xref_aliases', dict())
         self.xref_ignore = config.get('xref_ignore', set())
+        self.role_param = config.get('role_param', None)
         self.template = config.get('template', None)
         if self.template is None:
             template_dirs = [os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'templates')]
@@ -93,12 +94,7 @@ def _str_returns(self, name='Returns'):
         return out
 
     def _escape_args_and_kwargs(self, name):
-        if name[:2] == '**':
-            return r'\*\*' + name[2:]
-        elif name[:1] == '*':
-            return r'\*' + name[1:]
-        else:
-            return name
+        return name.replace('*', '\*')
 
     def _process_param(self, param, desc, fake_autosummary):
         """Determine how to display a parameter
@@ -398,6 +394,20 @@ def __str__(self, indent=0, func_role="obj"):
         ns = dict((k, '\n'.join(v)) for k, v in ns.items())
 
         rendered = self.template.render(**ns)
+
+        # Add roles for parameters
+        if self.role_param is not None:
+            param_sections = ['Parameters', 'Other Parameters'] + (
+                    ['Attributes'] if self.attributes_as_param_list else [])
+
+            for param_section in param_sections:
+                for param in self[param_section]:
+                    rendered = re.sub(
+                        r'([^`:])`' + self._escape_args_and_kwargs(param.name) + r'`',
+                        r'\1' + self.role_param + r'`' + param.name + r'`',
+                        rendered,
+                    )
+
         return '\n'.join(self._str_indent(rendered.split('\n'), indent))
 
 
diff --git a/numpydoc/numpydoc.py b/numpydoc/numpydoc.py
index 93cd975d..6c0f4ef9 100644
--- a/numpydoc/numpydoc.py
+++ b/numpydoc/numpydoc.py
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ def mangle_docstrings(app, what, name, obj, options, lines):
            'xref_param_type': app.config.numpydoc_xref_param_type,
            'xref_aliases': app.config.numpydoc_xref_aliases_complete,
            'xref_ignore': app.config.numpydoc_xref_ignore,
+           'role_param': app.config.numpydoc_role_param,
            }
 
     cfg.update(options or {})
@@ -254,6 +255,7 @@ def setup(app, get_doc_object_=get_doc_object):
     app.add_config_value('numpydoc_xref_param_type', False, True)
     app.add_config_value('numpydoc_xref_aliases', dict(), True)
     app.add_config_value('numpydoc_xref_ignore', set(), True)
+    app.add_config_value('numpydoc_role_param', None, True)
 
     # Extra mangling domains
     app.add_domain(NumpyPythonDomain)