1972 XB. Discovered 1972 Dec. 2 by A. R. Klemola at Mount Hamilton.

Named in honor of Hamilton M. Jeffers {1893–1976}, an astronomer on the staff of the Lick Observatory from 1924 until his retirement in 1961. He has conducted an extensive program of astrometric observations of comets and faint minor planets and has made important contributions to double-star astronomy, notably his collaboration on the Index Catalogue of Double-star Observations. (M 3938)

Obituaries published in Q.J.R. Astron. Soc., Vol. 21, p. 69–70 (1980); Phys. Today, Vol. 29, No. 10, p. 69 (1976), Sky Telesc., Vol. 52, p. 91 (1976).