The catalogue was compiled by Annie Jump Cannon and her co-workers at Harvard College Observatory under the supervision of Edward Charles Pickering, and was named in honour of Henry Draper, whose widow donated the money required to finance it.
A fost compilat de Annie Jump Cannon și colegii săi de la Harvard College Observatory, sub conducerea lui Edward Charles Pickering și a fost denumit în onoarea lui Henry Draper a cărui văduvă a finanțat efortul.