3962 Valyaev was discovered by Smirnova, a Soviet/Russian astronomer and a discoverer of minor planets and comets, on February 8, 1967 and was named after Russian astronomer Valerij Valyaev.
It was discovered on 8 February 1967, by Russian astronomer Tamara Smirnova at Nauchnyj on the Crimean peninsula, and later named after Russian astronomer Valerij Valyaev. Tamara Mikhaylovna Smirnova (Russian:   ; 19352001) was a Soviet/Russian astronomer and a discoverer of minor planets and comets. 
