George Takei, Star Trek's Hikaru Sulu and Heroes' Kaito Nakamura, has the honor of having a star named for him, albeit on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Now the actor and civil rights activist has a real celestial object named for him: 7307 Takei. Discovered by two Japanese astronomers in 1994, the asteroid is located between Mars and Jupiter.
Many noteworthy people have asteroids named for them, from physicist Isaac Newton to painter Jackson Pollock to novelist Kurt Vonnegut. Astronomy's Editor David Eicher has the minor planet 3617 Eicher named for him. Lowell Observatory's Brian Skiff discovered the object.
So this is a cool honor, and you may wonder how you can have an asteroid named for you.
So far, the shyster companies that "sell star names" haven't tapped into the minor planet market to separate suckers from their money, so that illegitimate route is unavailable. Unfortunately, this process will take some work. There is one genuine way to name an asteroid. Here's a quick beginner's guide on how to do it:
Step 1: Find an asteroid that can't be identified as an already-known multiple-opposition or recent single-opposition object.
Step 2: Following two nights of observations, provide the data to the Minor Planet Center, which assigns a provisional designation to the object.
Step 3: After further observations at four or more oppositions, the asteroid may receive a permanent number designation.
Step 4: At this point, the discoverer is credited, and he/she will submit a citation.
Step 5: For official recognition and acceptance of a nomenclature amendment, submit the information to the International Astronomical Union's (IAU) 15-member Committee for Small-Body Nomenclature.
The IAU has several preferences for proposed names, including: one word, 16 characters or less in length, no profanity (typically, swear words come after an observer finds out an asteroid is already known), no similarly named bodies, no commercial names, and no pet names. That's why you've never observed 4607 Fluffy or 3653 Schnookums.
If lonely nights observing aren't your thing, and you have deep pockets, you could always contribute to the research fund of an asteroid hunter. For the right price, you could convince the astronomer to name the minor planet for you. Make sure you have enough money left to persuade the IAU you are noteworthy enough, as well.