Mulan is a Chinese name meaning "magnolia", literally "wood orchid", and it belongs to Hua Mulan, the legendary heroine who disguised herself as a man to take her father's place in the army. Disney's animated film of 1998 and the live-action remake of 2020 made her a household name in America. Mulan was almost unused as a given name in 2000, at number 14438, climbed through the 2010s, peaked at number 2464 in the remake year of 2020 and stands at number 2475 in 2025 with 72 girls.