Teddy

Teddy is an English pet form of Edward or Theodore, both of which have long histories in the English-speaking world. Edward derives from the Old English elements ead, meaning wealth or fortune, and weard, meaning guard, while Theodore comes from the Greek Theodoros, meaning gift of god. The name gained particular cultural resonance through Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, whose nickname Teddy became so widely associated with him that it inspired the name of the stuffed toy bear. Edmund and Edwin are related Old English names sharing the ead element, and Theo serves as a parallel short form of Theodore.