pet form of masc. proper names
Edward,
Edmund, and
Theodore; meaning "women's undergarment" (with lower-case
t-) is recorded from 1924, of unknown origin, perhaps from some fancied resemblance to a
teddy bear (q.v.), a theory that dates to 1929. In British slang phrase
teddy boy (1954) it is short for
Edward, from the preference of such youths for Edwardian styles (1901-10).
Teddies (probably from Teddy Roosevelt) was one of the names given to U.S. troops in France in 1917.
[ted-ee] 
