 The body's observation arc begins at Uccle Observatory on 8 August 1934, almost 17 years after its official discovery observation at Heidelberg on 22 July 1917.This minor planet was named after Athena or "Pallas Athene", the goddess of wisdom in Greek mythology, also known as Minerva in Roman mythology.The was mentioned in "The Names of the Minor Planets" by Paul Herget in 1955 ().