teddy bear

toy

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

A teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. The name originates from U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, whose nickname was "Teddy". The inspiration for the toy came from a political cartoon depicting Roosevelt sparing a bear cub during a hunting trip. Toy maker Morris Michtom created the first stuffed bears in dedication to Roosevelt. The first teddy bears appeared around 1905.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Theodore Roosevelt
The early years
…bear after him, and the teddy bear fad soon swept the nation. His young children romped on the White House lawn, and the marriage of his daughter Alice in 1905 to Representative Nicholas Longworth of Ohio became the biggest social event of the decade.
Read More
…bear after him, and the teddy bear fad soon swept the nation. His young children romped on the White House lawn, and the marriage of his daughter Alice in 1905 to Representative Nicholas Longworth of Ohio became the biggest social event of the decade.
Read More