As minor planet discoveries are confirmed, they are given a permanent number by the IAU's Minor Planet Center, 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 span of numbers that have received names, and explains the meanings of those names. Besides the Minor Planet Circulars (in which the citations are published), a key source is Lutz D. Schmadel's Dictionary of Minor Planet Names. Meanings that do not quote a reference (the "†" links) are tentative.
Minor planets not yet given a name have not been included in this list.
| Contents: |
|---|
| Name | Provisional Designation | Source of Name |
|---|---|---|
| 161301–161400 | ||
| 161371 Bertrandou | 2003 SO244 | Bertrand Christophe, the discoverer's son, named for Bertrandou le Fifre, a character in Edmond Rostand's play Cyrano de Bergerac † |
| 161501–161600 | ||
| 161545 Ferrando | 2004 XP16 | Rafael Ferrando, Spanish astronomer, founder of the Observatorio Astronomico Pla D'Arguines (Pla D'Arguines Astronomical Observatory) † |
| 161546 Schneeweis | 2004 XT16 | LtCdr (USN) Scott Schneeweis, American early U.S. space program historian, webmaster of "Spaceaholic" † |
| 161701–161800 | ||
| 161715 Wenchuan | 2006 MZ12 | In memory of the 90,000 people killed in the great Wenchuan earthquake of 2008 May 12 † |
| 161901–162000 | ||
| 161989 Cacus | 1978 CA | Cacus, mythological fire-breathing monster, son of Vulcan, killed by Hercules † |
| Preceded by 160,001–161,000 |
Meanings of minor planet names List of minor planets: 161,001–162,000 |
Succeeded by 162,001–163,000 |