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 Meanings that do not quote a reference (the "†" links) are tentative.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 |
|---|---|---|
| 78001–78100 | ||
| 78071 Vicent | 2002 LT6 | Francesc Vicent, Spanish author of Libre dels jochs partits dels schacs en nombre de 100 which established the modern rules of Chess in Spain † ‡ |
| 78101–78200 | ||
| 78118 Bharat | 2002 NT | Bhārat Ganarājya, native name of the Republic of India (derived from the wise and pious king Bharata of ancient Hindu mythology), the discoverer's motherland † |
| 78125 Salimbeni | 2002 NU6 | Sara Salimbeni, Italian astronomer † |
| 78201–78300 | ||
| 78249 Capaccioni | 2002 PK6 | Fabrizio Capaccioni, Italian astronomer † |
| 78252 Priscio | 2002 PF11 | Priscilla "Priscio" Cerroni, Italian astronomer † |
| 78301–78400 | ||
| 78391 Michaeljäger | 2002 PT163 | Michael Jäger, Austrian amateur astronomer † ‡ |
| 78392 Dellinger | 2002 PM165 | Joseph A. (Joe) Dellinger, American geophysicist and amateur astronomer (Fort Bend Astronomy Club) † |
| 78393 Dillon | 2002 PW165 | William G. (Bill) Dillon, American geophysicist and amateur astronomer (Fort Bend Astronomy Club) † |
| 78394 Garossino | 2002 PB166 | Paul G. A. Garossino, Canadian geophysicist and amateur astronomer † ‡ |
| 78401–78500 | ||
| 78429 Baschek | 2002 QN48 | Bodo Baschek, German astrophysicist † |
| 78430 Andrewpearce | 2002 QX48 | Andrew Pearce, Australian amateur astronomer, significant contributor to the International Comet Quarterly † |
| 78431 Kemble | 2002 QJ50 | Lucian J. Kemble, Canadian Franciscan Father and amateur astronomer, discoverer of Kemble's Cascade † ‡ |
| 78432 Helensailer | 2002 QR50 | Helen R. Sailer, member of the international women's flying organization, The Ninety-Nines, and great-aunt of the discoverer † |
| 78433 Gertrudolf | 2002 QF56 | Gertrud and Rudolf Hönig, grandparents of the discoverer † |
| 78434 Dyer | 2002 QL58 | Alan Dyer, Canadian astronomy writer and astrophotographer † ‡ |
| 78501–78600 | ||
| 78577 JPL | 2002 RG232 | Jet Propulsion Laboratory † |
| 78578 Donpettit | 2002 RM233 | Don Pettit, American International Space Station Expedition 6 astronaut † |
| 78601–78700 | ||
| 78652 Quero | 2002 TG62 | Quero, Belluno (Veneto), Italy † |
| 78661 Castelfranco | 2002 TW85 | Castelfranco Veneto, Treviso (Veneto), Italy † |
| 78801–78900 | ||
| 78816 Caripito | 2003 PZ9 | Caripito, Bolivar district, Monagas, Venezuela, where the parents of the discoverer met † ‡ |
| 78905 Seanokeefe | 2003 SK85 | Sean O'Keefe, American NASA administrator 2001–2004 † |
| Preceded by 77,001–78,000 |
Meanings of minor planet names List of minor planets: 78,001–79,000 |
Succeeded by 79,001–80,000 |