Gamgee Tissue possibly led to the character name (Sam Gamgee) in J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings". The connection is not certain: in Appendix F to "The Lord of the Rings", Tolkien mentions, but at the same time denies, the reading of "Gamgee" as a pun relating to the name of Sam's wife, Rosie "Cotton". He further elaborates the 'real' Westron names of which 'Gamgee' and 'Cotton' are translations. However, in the same section Tolkien also addresses "hobbit" (which was certainly created first and translated afterward, as described in Tolkien's own comment on the initial writing of "The Hobbit")
Meriadoc Brandybuck was Drogo Took. He was later renamed Vigo, and the name Drogo reassigned to Frodo's father. After that, he was renamed Marmaduke, and finally Meriadoc Brandybuck. Frodo and Merry are first cousins once removed. Their common ancestors are Gorbadoc Brandybuck and Mirabella Took Brandybuck. Merry was born T.A. 2982 (or, in the Shire-reckoning, in 1382), in Buckland. He is the only child of Saradoc Brandybuck (T.A. 2940-F.A. 11), who was a Master of Buckland, and Esmeralda Brandybuck (née Took) (T.A. 2936- ?), the younger sister of Paladin Took II (T.A. 2933–3034), making him first cousin to Paladin's son Peregrin Took.