It was discovered on 5 September 1972, by Swiss astronomer Paul Wild at Zimmerwald Observatory near Bern, Switzerland.

[2] Naef orbits the Sun in the inner main-belt at a distance of 2.1–2.7 AU once every 3 years and 8 months (1,335 days).

[10] According to observations by the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer's NEOWISE mission, Naef measures 7.9 and 8.1 kilometers in diameter, and its surface has an albedo of 0.23,[4][5] while the Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link assumes an albedo of 0.40 and calculates a diameter of 6.6 kilometer with an absolute magnitude of 12.5.

[3] Naef is a vestoid or V-type asteroid, with its spectral type comparable to that of the group's namesake, 4 Vesta.

[6][7][8][a] This minor planet was named after Swiss banker Robert A. Naef (1907–1975) from Zürich, an ardent amateur astronomer, who produced the yearly observers almanac, Der Sternenhimmel, since 1940.