It was discovered by Auguste Charlois on August 19, 1893, in Nice. It is thought to be named for the capital city of Majorca, an island in the Balearics (Spain), which are located south of France. It is one of seven of Charlois's discoveries that was expressly named by the Astromomisches Rechen-Institut (Astronomical Calculation Institute).Schmadel Lutz D. Dictionary of Minor Planet Names (fifth edition), Springer, 2003. ISBN 3-540-00238-3.