The twist works (even if you do think about it ;-) because both ends of a skein/ball twist the same direction, not opposite directions. An s or a z is the same upside down as right side up, so no matter which end you start from, an s is always an s or a z always a z twist.
Bambi or Tarzan? Crack a book, friend. Mulan is a character in an ancient folk tale, and is a name that has been around for a long time. A better analogy would be that it's like naming a British child Rose or a German child Gretel. Last I checked, there's nothing unusual about that.
The twist works (even if you do think about it ;-) because both ends of a skein/ball twist the same direction, not opposite directions. An s or a z is the same upside down as right side up, so no matter which end you start from, an s is always an s or a z always a z twist.