Teddy Bear and the 26th US President

The stuffed toy bear "Teddy Bear" owes its name to the former US President Theodore Roosevelt. Theodore or "Teddy" as he was fondly called by press and people was very fond of hunting. During one of his hunting expeditions, he came across a small bear cub, which also happened to be one of his most unsuccessful days at hunting. But still he refused to shoot the bear, since it did not have a chance of defending itself. The next day, cartoons appeared in local newspapers of the President and the bear cub. A toy manufacturer took a cue from this incident, and promptly created a stuffed toy bear and named it "Teddy Bear" which became an instant hit.

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/presidents/roosevelt/bears_1

The next time you see a Teddy Bear, remember it owes its name to the magnanimity of an US President.