TVThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons has been a TV favourite for almost 40 years, but many fans are only just discovering one surprising detail about the iconic family that was hidden in plain sight all along11:24, 15 Jul 2026The Simpsons has been entertaining audiences families for almost four decades, but some fans are only just discovering the famous cartoon family is based on real people. Created by Matt Groening, the long-running animated show follows the lives of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson as they navigate life in the fictional town of Springfield.‌Groening came up with the idea for The Simpsons while waiting in the lobby of producer James L. Brooks' office, where he had been asked to pitch an idea for a series of animated shorts. He had originally planned to pitch his series Life in Hell, but quickly realised doing so would mean giving up the rights to his own work.‌Instead, he came up with a brand-new idea on the spot – creating what he described as a "dysfunctional family" that would go on to become one of television's most iconic households.‌Despite more than 800 episodes and almost 40 years on air, many viewers have only just realised where the characters' names actually came from.One fan wrote on Reddit: "Today I learned Matt Groening named the main members of the Simpsons family (apart from Bart) after his own family."It turns out Groening named Homer and Marge after his own parents, while Lisa and Maggie were named after his sisters.‌Bart, however, was an exception.Rather than naming the mischievous schoolboy after himself, Groening created the name as an anagram of "brat", while also basing the character partly on himself and partly on his older brother, Mark.‌He also borrowed his other sister;'s name for Marge's chain-smoking sister, Patty.After learning this, fans were quick to share other hidden references scattered throughout the show.One person said: "He also used streets in Portland, Oregon, like Flanders and Burnside, and Apu."‌Another added: "Grampa Simpson is a coincidence. His name was just 'Grampa' at first. When it came time to give him an actual name, Matt Groening left the room and let the writers decide."They picked Abraham, which was actually the name of one of Matt's grandfathers."A third said: "Homer's mother, Mona Simpson, is an exception. She was named after novelist Mona Simpson by writer Richard Appel."Article continues belowWhile another fan added: "Matt's mum Marge's obituary says her maiden name was Wiggum!"Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌The SimpsonsMatt Groening