Meanings of minor-planet names: 56001–57000
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As minor planet discoveries are confirmed, they are given a permanent number by the IAU's Minor Planet Center (MPC), and the discoverers can then submit names for them, following the IAU's naming conventions. The list below concerns those minor planets in the specified number-range that have received names, and explains the meanings of those names.
Official naming citations of newly named small Solar System bodies are approved and published in a bulletin by IAU's Working Group for Small Bodies Nomenclature (WGSBN).[1] Before May 2021, citations were published in MPC's Minor Planet Circulars for many decades.[2] Recent citations can also be found on the JPL Small-Body Database (SBDB).[3] Until his death in 2016, German astronomer Lutz D. Schmadel compiled these citations into the Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (DMP) and regularly updated the collection.[4][5]
Based on Paul Herget's The Names of the Minor Planets,[6] Schmadel also researched the unclear origin of numerous asteroids, most of which had been named prior to World War II. 
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: SBDB New namings may only be added to this list below after official publication as the preannouncement of names is condemned.[7] The WGSBN publishes a comprehensive guideline for the naming rules of non-cometary small Solar System bodies.[8]
56001–56100
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56011 Sarahantier | 1998 UJ16 | Sarah Antier, French astronomer. | IAU · 56011 |
| 56018 Yujawang | 1998 VH4 | Yuja Wang, Chinese American pianist. | IAU · 56018 |
| 56038 Jackmapanje | 1998 XC3 | Jack Mapanje (born 1955) is a Malawian writer. Educated at the University of London, he became head of the Department of Language and Linguistics at the University of Malawi. He moved back to the UK in 1991 and is now a visiting professor at Leeds University. | IAU · 56038 |
| 56041 Luciendumont | 1998 XO4 | Lucien Dumont, aeronautics engineer who worked for the French Railways (SNCF) | JPL · 56041 |
| 56067 Argerich | 1998 YH2 | Martha Argerich, world-renowned Argentine pianist. | IAU · 56067 |
| 56073 Poggianti | 1998 YO10 | Marcello Poggianti (b. 1946), an Italian amateur astronomer. | IAU · 56073 |
| 56088 Wuheng | 1999 AZ23 | Heng Wu, leader and organizer of China's science and technology †[link removed] | MPC · 56088 |
| 56095 Buniatishvili | 1999 BL6 | Khatia Buniatishvili, Georgian pianist. | IAU · 56095 |
| 56100 Luisapolli | 1999 BM14 | Luisa Polli, sister of the grandmother of the discoverer † ‡ | MPC · 56100 |
56101–56200
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56170 Rolandovillazón | 1999 FK6 | Rolando Villazón, renowned Mexican-French tenor celebrated for his powerful voice and emotional expressiveness. | IAU · 56170 |
| 56172 Véroniquesanson | 1999 FD7 | Véronique Sanson, French singer-songwriter. | IAU · 56172 |
56201–56300
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56280 Asemo | 1999 KS5 | ASEMO, the Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri | JPL · 56280 |
56301–56400
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56329 Tarxien | 1999 WO1 | The Tarxien temples on Malta † | MPC · 56329 |
| 56361 Marcomontagni | 2000 CW1 | Marco Montagni (b. 1956), an Italian amateur astronomer. | IAU · 56361 |
56401–56500
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56422 Mnajdra | 2000 GV3 | Mnajdra, prehistoric temple complex built with large limestone blocks, located on the southern coast of Malta | JPL · 56422 |
56501–56600
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56561 Jaimenomen | 2000 JG7 | Jaume Nomen (born 1960) Spanish prolific discoverer of minor planets at the Observatorio Astronómico de Mallorca | MPC · 56561 |
56601–56700
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56678 Alicewessen | 2000 LR1 | Alice Wessen (born 1957) has worked for over twenty years at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as Outreach Manager for planetary missions. She is a Co-Investigator for the Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach Forum, and is a recipient of NASA's Exceptional Service Medal. | JPL · 56678 |
56701–56800
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56788 Guilbertlepoutre | 2000 OA54 | Aurélie Guilbert-Lepoutre (born 1983) is a CNRS researcher at the Geology Laboratory (Lyon, France) whose studies include thermal modeling of small bodies to understand their formation and evolution. | IAU · 56788 |
| 56795 Amandagorman | 2000 OE67 | Amanda Gorman, inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate. Her poetry appears on a plaque aboard NASA's Lucy space probe. | IAU · 56795 |
56801–56900
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| There are no named minor planets in this number range | |||
56901–57000
| Named minor planet | Provisional | This minor planet was named for... | Ref · Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56957 Seohideaki | 2000 SY20 | Hideaki Seo, the governor of Sundai Gakuen high school. | JPL · 56957 |
| 56975 Lindaspilker | 2000 SP161 | Linda Spilker (b. 1955), senior research scientist and fellow at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has been involved in planetary missions throughout her career. | IAU · 56975 |