Laika
Laika was a Soviet space dog who was one of the first animals in space and the first to orbit the Earth. A stray mongrel from the streets of Moscow, she flew aboard the Sputnik 2 spacecraft, launched into low orbit on 3 November 1957. As the technology to re-enter the atmosphere had not yet been developed, Laika's survival was never expected.
Meaning & Origin of Laika
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Laika was a Soviet space dog who was one of the first animals in space and the first to orbit the Earth. A stray mongrel from the streets of Moscow, she flew aboard the Sputnik 2 spacecraft, launched into low orbit on 3 November 1957. As the technology to re-enter the atmosphere had not yet been developed, Laika's survival was never expected.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Laika
Laika first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2003, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2003, when 5 Laikas were born — ranking #15,782 that year. As of 2026, Laika ranks #15,532 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 15 Laikas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Laika
Phonetically similar names — useful when Laika is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Laika
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About the name Laika
Laika is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2003 and has accumulated 15 births in the dataset. Laika's peak popularity came in 2003 when it ranked #15,782. Use the chart and map above to compare Laika's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2003 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "L" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.