They are numbered as they are identified. They are named by their
discoverers, subject to approval. A discoverer could give naming rights
to someone else. I expect that selling the rights would be frowned
upon unless it was for a charitable cause.

I believe someone named an asteroid for a pet dog (Not Pluto), and it
wasn't caught by the committee. They don't want people doing that,
but I don't see anything wrong with it.

-- Jeff, in Minneapolis

__________________
http://www.FreeMars.org/jeff/

"I find astronomy very interesting, but I wouldn't if I thought we
were just going to sit here and look." -- "Van Rijn"

"The other planets? Well, they just happen to be there, but the
point of rockets is to explore them!" -- Kai Yeves