It is not 100% clear why Carroll named this character 'Cheshire Cat'. “To grin like a Cheshire Cat” was a common phrase in Carroll's day. Its origin is unknown, but it may have originated from a sign painter in Cheshire, who painted grinning lions on the sign-boards of inns in the area. read more
The two leading theories are: (1) A sign painter in Cheshire (the county, by the way, where Carroll was born) painted grinning lions on the signboards of inns in the area and (2) Cheshire cheeses were at one time molded in the shape of a grinning cat. read more
There are numerous theories about the origins of the phrase "grinning like a Cheshire Cat" in English history. A possible origin of the phrase is one favoured by the people of Cheshire, a county in England which boasts numerous dairy farms; hence the cats grin because of the abundance of milk and cream. read more