Lexa got a significant boost from the character Commander Lexa in The 100 — the post-apocalyptic CW series that ran from 2014 to 2020 and developed a passionate fanbase. The character was compelling, complex, and widely beloved before a controversial exit from the show. Pets named Lexa after 2015 are almost certainly a tribute to that character.
The 100 Fandom Pet Naming
Commander Lexa became a fan-favorite character with an unusually dedicated following, particularly within the LGBTQ+ fan community. When the character was killed in a manner the fanbase found gratuitous, the response was loud and sustained — including, apparently, naming pets in her honor. This is a real pattern in fandom culture: beloved characters get commemorated in pets. German Shepherds and Huskies suit Lexa's fierce, loyal energy from the show particularly well.
Sound Independent of the Reference
Lexa works entirely on its own merits as a sound: two syllables, soft L opening, hard X ending, open A vowel in the middle. It has the same X-energy as Lexi or Alex compressed into something slightly more distinctive. For owners without the pop-culture reference, it reads as a modern, sharp female name with no particular origin story required. Lexa as a human name is uncommon, which leaves it open territory for pets.
The Counter-Reading: Show's Fandom Has Moved On
The 100 ended in 2020. The passionate Lexa tribute period peaked around 2016-2017. New pets named Lexa in 2025 are more likely choosing the name for its sound than its fandom significance, which is a perfectly good reason — the name stands without the reference.