* マーリン (Mārin): This is the most common and straightforward romanization of the name, using katakana, which is generally used for foreign words. It's easy to pronounce and readily understood.
* You could also use a more descriptive translation depending on Merlin's role in the story. For example, if he's a wizard, you might incorporate words like 魔術師 (majutsushi - magician) or 魔法使い (mahōtsukai - wizard) into a description.
Therefore, マーリン (Mārin) is the simplest and most practical way to say Merlin in Japanese.