Which character did J.R.R. Tolkien create after inventing the word “hobbit”?

J.R.R. Tolkien created Bilbo Baggins after inventing the word “hobbit.” Tolkien said the word came to him unexpectedly while marking examination papers, and he began wondering what a hobbit might be.

Bilbo became the central character of The Hobbit, published in 1937. He is a comfort-loving inhabitant of Hobbiton who is drawn into an adventure by the wizard Gandalf and the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield. The story follows Bilbo’s journey to the Lonely Mountain and his encounter with Gollum.

Frodo Baggins is another important Baggins, but he is the protagonist of The Lord of the Rings rather than The Hobbit. The two characters are related: Bilbo is Frodo’s older cousin and guardian. This family connection is a frequent source of confusion when readers identify Tolkien’s first major hobbit hero.