Asteroid 2598, Merlin, was discovered on September 7, 1980 by Edward Bowell at the Anderson Mesa unit at Lowell Observatory near Flagstaff, Arizona. Merlin has a period of 4 years, 234 days.
It was named for the sage and wizard of the Arthurian legends.
"So The Child Was Delivered Unto Merlin..." (1917), by American artist N.C. Wyeth
The astrological meaning of asteroid Merlin seems to be magical, manipulative, controlling, backwardness.