Other forms: teddy bears
A teddy bear is a stuffed toy that's a small, adorable version of an intimidating, furry mammal. The original teddy bear was named after U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.
In 1902, the first teddy bears appeared on the toy market. A Brooklyn businessman, Morris Michtom, called the prototype Teddy's bear. The ubiquitous stuffed animal, which remains popular today, was inspired by a hunting trip during which President Roosevelt refused to shoot a captive American black bear. Political cartoons mocking the incident featured a cute bear cub, on which Michtom modeled his toy. Roosevelt, who hated being called Teddy himself, officially approved the nickname for teddy bears.