Bilbo ranks 1845 in the pet registry with 54 male animals. It is, of course, Bilbo Baggins — J.R.R. Tolkien's reluctant adventurer, the hobbit who left his comfortable hole under the hill and came back changed. Naming a pet Bilbo is an act of literary affection and, for small round animals, an act of accurate description.
The Hobbit Name Tradition
Tolkien names show up throughout the pet registry — Frodo, Gandalf, Pippin, Samwise, and Bilbo cluster together in the fandom naming bracket. Bilbo is particularly well-suited to pets because of the character's physical description: small, round, furry, fond of meals, unexpectedly brave. Corgis, Dachshunds, and compact breeds wear Bilbo with visible accuracy. Browse Tolkien-origin pet names for the full cluster.
BIL-bo: Sound and Personality
Two syllables, bouncy, the b sound repeated. It's a name that moves when you say it, which suits the energy of a curious, food-motivated small dog or cat. The name has been part of English pop culture long enough that it no longer requires explaining to most adults.
The Counter-Reading: An Old Film Franchise
The Lord of the Rings films peak was 2001-2003; the Hobbit films 2012-2014. Bilbo carries a fandom timestamp, though Tolkien's books are durable enough that the name will never fully date. For owners who want the literary reference without the fantasy-fandom signal, it's worth knowing that Bilbo reads as deeply nerdy to people outside the fandom — and that's fine if you are.