The Cheshire cat was a character in the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by human author Lewis Carroll, an anthropomorphic cat encountered by Alice. The Cheshire cat was distinguished by its smile, which would remain visible even after the rest of the cat had disappeared.
History and specifics[]
Seven-year-old Robin Lefler adopted the nickname "Cheshire" (or "Ches") after reading Carroll's books with her mother, Morgan (who took the nickname "Alice"). (NF short story: "Lefler's Logs", "Alice, on the Edge of Night")
In 2370, Miles O'Brien said that he thought Julian Bashir's smile was "just like the Cheshire cat" of Carroll's novel. (DS9 novel: Warchild)
This fictional character had also been created in the mirror universe, as in the year 2277, Marlena Moreau refers to a "Cheshire cat grin". (TOS - Mirror Universe novel: The Sorrows of Empire)