The Teddy Bear was invented in 1902 by Morris Michtom.

In the early 20th century, a teddy bear was named after then-President Theodore Roosevelt. But it wasn’t until 1902 that the toy became popular when a woman named Rose Michtom bought a teddy bear for her son Morris. Rose asked her husband to make one for their son. He came up with the design and name, but he never patented his invention. So when he died in 1903, all rights to the teddy bear were lost.

Morris made more than 1,000 bears himself and sold them out of his store on Canal Street in New York City. He also started making and selling bears out of his home and then added “Teddy’s Bear Shop” to his business card.