Asteroid 8971, Leucocephala, was discovered on September 29, 1973 by C. J. van Houten and Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld on plates taken by Tom Gehrels at Palomar Mountain Observatory. It has a period of 5 years, 170 days.
It was named for the white-headed duck, Oxyura leucocephala. "Leucocephala" is Greek for "white-headed."
White-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala)
The meaning of asteroid Leucocephala seems to be: "fair-haired child," awareness of being blessed or privileged. .