1916 Boreas a rotation period between 3.4741 and 3.49 hours with a brightness variation between 0.25 and 0.35 magnitude (). In 1994, astronomer Tom Gehrels estimated "Boreas" to measure 3.5 kilometers in diameter, based on an assumed albedo of 0.15. The "Collaborative Asteroid Lightcurve Link" assumes a standard albedo for stony asteroids of 0.20 and calculates a diameter of 3.07 kilometers with an absolute magnitude of 14.93. This minor planet is named after the Greek god of the north wind, Boreas, as the asteroid was discovered moving rapidly northward after passing the ascending node of its orbit. The official naming citation was
HMS Boreas (1806) holds one of the cannon from "Boreas" that points towards the reef where she sank. HMS Boreas (1806) The Royal Navy commissioned her under the command of Captain Robert Scott. On 2 October 1807 she captured, after a four-hour chase, the French privateer schooner "Victoire". The privateer had a crew of 28 men and was armed with swivel guns and small arms. She had sailed from Morlaix the day before and had already captured an American brig, which "Boreas" recaptured. On 8 October "Boreas" and captured the Danish ships "St Hans" and "Montreal". "Boreas" sailed from Saint Peter Port to