Wikipedia has a neat list of the origins of the names of "Springfieldians," many of which came from people and places familiar to Matt Groening (the show's creator):
- Lisa Marie Simpson – Lisa Groening (Matt Groening's sister) and Lisa Marie Presley
- Marge – Marjorie (commonly called Marge) Groening (Matt Groening's mother was named "Margaret" and nicknamed "Marge")
- Homer – Homer Groening (Matt Groening's father and one of his sons)
- Maggie – Maggie Groening (one of Matt Groening's sisters)
- Bart – an anagram for "brat", a reference to Groening himself
Link [wiki] - via GorillaMask