The asteroid was discovered on 26 September 1987, by American astronomer couple Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker at Palomar Observatory in California, United States.
[7] Jeffwynn has been characterized as a common, stony S-type asteroid by photometry from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
[3][5] In September 2012, a rotational lightcurve of Jeffwynn was obtained from photometric observations by American astronomer Brian Warner at his Palmer Divide Observatory (716) in Colorado.
[3] This minor planet was named in honor of American Jeffrey C. Wynn, research geophysicist with the United States Geological Survey, described as a "humorous, curious, inventive, adventurous geophysicist", who examined the Saudi Arabian Wabar craters on several expeditions in 1994 and 1995, together with Eugene Shoemaker, after whom the minor planet 2074 Shoemaker is named.
Wynn's research included mapping the seafloor, analyzing terrestrial minerals, and studying aquifers and archaeological sites.