Formerly designated 1985 JX1. Discovered on May 13, 1985, by Carolyn S. Shoemaker and the late Eugene M. Shoemaker at Palomar Observatory. "Named in honor of Mark and Colleen Coco and their children Kymberly, Jennifer, Lisa, and Travis. An author of astronomical articles and an active observer, Mark has written about his many interests, including astrophotography, the Green Flash, and the relation between astronomy and religion. During his five years as manager of customer relations for Celestron International that began in 1988, Mark helped thousands of new telescope users find their way to enjoy the sky. The discoverers wish to honor the Coco family for their courage and love in dealing with Mark's long illness."

More about Asteroid 6436 Coco: Asteroid name proposed and citation prepared by David H. Levy. Reference Minor Planet Circular 25979, dated November 7, 1995. Access the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics' I.A.U. Minor Planet Service for ephemerides and a summary of (6436) Coco.