Leiden Observatory
This minor planet was named by Dutch astronomer Gerrit Pels after his sister Geertruid (or Geertruida) Hamerslag Pels. Gerrit Pels, who was an assistant astronomer at Leiden Observatory, computed the body's orbit. The minor planet was named in his honor. The author of the "Dictionary of Minor Planet Names", Lutz Schmadel learned about the meaning of this asteroid from Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld, who was a long-time astronomer at Leiden Observatory.