Mulan

Q: What is the origin of Mulan?

Mulan is of Chinese origin. The name carries significant cultural meaning and has been used across generations within its origin tradition.

Q: Is Mulan a girl name?

Mulan is traditionally a girl name. Modern naming practices are increasingly flexible, and names can be used across genders based on personal choice and cultural context.

female

Updated 7 months ago

Meaning

"Magnolia Orchid"

Chinese name associated with magnolia, widely recognized through literary and folkloric tradition, and used as a culturally salient botanical term.

Themes:chineseliterarybotanical

Unique Rare

Fact-checked by Lily Anderson

M.F.A. Creative Writing, Sarah LawrencePublished NovelistName Collection Curator • Creative Names Editor

This name has been verified against authoritative sources including SSA data, etymology databases, and cultural naming traditions.

Popularity History of Mulan

Full SSA rank history from 1880 to 2024

#2543Ranked nationally

SSA did not record this spelling in the national rankings for the available chart years. Names used fewer than 5 times in a year are omitted from the dataset.

Yearly Ranking Snapshot

Pick any SSA release year to inspect that year's national ranking and how it changed from the year before.

Year

Selected Year Rank

Unranked

Mulan did not appear in the national SSA rankings for 2024.

Change Vs Previous Year

no national rank in 2024

Data Source

Popularity rankings are based on official data from the Social Security Administration (SSA), which tracks baby name applications in the United States.

Last updated: 2024 • Data source updated annually

Mulan Nicknames

Familiar short forms, playful variations, and easy everyday options for Mulan.

10 ideas

muly

Nickname

mula

Nickname

mie

Nickname

ulan

Nickname

lany

Nickname

mulany

Nickname

Similar Names to Mulan

female

Ann

“Grace, Favor”

#1141

|Hebrew

female

Anita

“Grace Favor”

#1463

|Hebrew

female

Annette

“Grace”

#1304

|French

female

Agnes

“Pure”

#1063

|Greek

female

Arlene

“Pledge or Promise”

#1798

|English

female

Antoinette

“Priceless One”

#2882

|French

female

Alberta

“Noble; Bright”

#10281

|Germanic

female

Adrienne

“From Hadria”

#1455

|French

female

Alisha

“Noble”

#1137

|Hebrew

female

Aimee

“Beloved”

#1467

|French

Baby Name Lists That Include Mulan

Browse every Namylab list page that currently includes Mulan, from meaning and origin collections to letter, syllable, and themed baby name lists.

9 linked lists

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Mulan mean?

Mulan means "Magnolia Orchid". Chinese name associated with magnolia, widely recognized through literary and folkloric tradition, and used as a cultura

What is the origin of Mulan?

Mulan is of Chinese origin. The name has been used historically across cultures and carries significant cultural meaning within its origin tradition.

How popular is the name Mulan?

According to the latest SSA data, Mulan is currently ranked #2543 in the United States. The name has shown interesting trends over the past century, with popularity varying based on cultural preferences and naming trends.

Is Mulan a girl name?

Mulan is traditionally a girl name. However, modern naming practices are increasingly flexible, and names can be used across genders based on personal preference.

What are good nicknames for Mulan?

Popular nicknames for Mulan include muly, mula, mie, my, and more. These offer shorter, more casual alternatives for everyday use.

What names are similar to Mulan?

There are many names similar to Mulan in meaning, origin, or sound. Explore the Similar Names section to discover alternatives that may resonate with you.

Quick Facts

OriginChinese

Syllables2

Length5 letters

US Rank#2543

Trend→ Stable

Starts withM

Sibling Ideas

Brothers

Bao Bing Cheng Chong Chue

Sisters

Bao Chong Chia Chee Chyan

Explore More Girl Names Like Mulan

Mulan has Chinese roots, making it a wonderful choice if you love names from this heritage. Discover more options in our Chinese baby names collection, where you'll find hundreds of names with similar cultural depth.

Mulan appears in several of our curated collections. Check out Unique Baby Names and Names That Mean Miracle And Blessing for Boys and Girls for more names with a similar feel. You might also enjoy browsing Names That Mean Travel And Adventure for Boys and Girls and Chinese Baby Names.

Before you decide, try our Full Name Preview to see how Mulan pairs with your surname. The Sibling Name Matcher can help find names that complement Mulan beautifully, and the Nickname Predictor reveals the most common short forms.

Explore our full baby name lists for origin-based, meaning-based, and themed collections, or head back to the baby name generator to continue your search.