Winnie-the-Pooh was named for a Canadian black bear named Winnie (duh). Digging deeper, Winnie-the-non-Pooh was named after the Canadian city Winnipeg. Take it away, Wikipedia!:
Christopher Milne had named his toy bear after Winnie, a Canadian black bear he often saw at London Zoo, and "Pooh", a swan they had met while on holiday. The bear cub was purchased from a hunter for $20 by Canadian Lieutenant Harry Colebourn in White River, Ontario, Canada, while en route to England during the First World War. He named the bear "Winnie" after his adopted hometown in Winnipeg, Manitoba. "Winnie" was surreptitiously brought to England with her owner, and gained unofficial recognition as The Fort Garry Horse regimental mascot. Colebourn left Winnie at the London Zoo while he and his unit were in France; after the war she was officially donated to the zoo, as she had become a much-loved attraction there.
Here’s a pic of Colebourn and the OG Winnie:
Kinda looks like the #Phillybear, no?
