Did you know the teddy bear was named after Theodore Roosevelt, America's 26th president? According to legend, he was invited on a bear hunt in Mississippi with several other men, including the state's governor. Roosevelt, unlike the other hunters in the group, had not located a single bear. Some of his assistants, however, found and trapped a black bear, especially for Roosevelt. Roosevelt decided against shooting the bear, calling it unsportsmanlike. Roosevelt's experiences bear hunting in Mississippi made the newspapers. He was known to love hunting and his refusal to shoot the bear surprised many people.

Morris Michtom was a stuffed animal maker who lived in Brooklyn, New York. When he read the article, he decided to dedicate a stuffed toy bear to Roosevelt. He called it "Teddy's Bear." Teddy is often the name used by men named Theodore. "Teddy" Roosevelt granted permission for Michtom to use his name in producing the bears. "Teddy bears" became so popular, that Morris and his wife, Rose, were able to build an entire toy company!