You would be hard-pressed to find any animated show more beloved than The Simpsons. First released on December 17, 1989, The Simpsons just makes the cut as a nostalgic show from the 80s. Since then, the show has gone on to release six hundred and ninety-one episodes over the course of thirty-two seasons. Many cite The Simpsons as the main influence behind every popular animated show focusing on a central family in today’s cultural conscious; from Family Guy to American Dad to Futurama. The cultural echoes of The Simpsons will continue to be felt for decades to come. People also enjoy pointing out many ways in which The Simpsons has appeared to predict the future; perhaps it is just due to the sheer proliferation of Simpsons content, but every unexpected world event these days appears to have a related screenshot from The Simpsons that would explain it.
This list is by no means exhaustive, as the show has accumulated hundreds of characters in its three decades of running, so if we omitted your personal favorite, don’t worry. Without further ado, here’s our giant list of The Simpsons characters!
Homer Simpson
The father figure of perhaps the best-known cartoon family of all time, Homer Simpson is the only person who could have started off this list. This aficionado of donuts and Duff beer is a beloved goofball and the main protagonist of The Simpsons. While Homer’s main job is as an entry-level safety inspector at the nuclear power plant in his hometown of Springfield, he has held countless other jobs over the course of the show’s history. Among Homer’s many accolades include winning an Oscar, a Pulitzer, and a Grammy; in addition, he has traveled to outer space and has saved his hometown more times than we can count! Homer Simpson is supposedly named in honor of Homer Groening, the deceased father of The Simpsons creator Matt Groening.
Marge Simpson
Marge Simpson is the matriarch of the Simpson family, wife to Homer Simpson and mother to Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. She is easily recognizable by her eccentrically high blue hairdo, raspy voice, and her catchphrase: “Hrmmm…” In terms of the show’s ethical character, Marge generally acts as the sensible counterbalance to the at times idiotic antics of Homer and the rest of the Simpsons cast. In addition to being a world-class mother, Marge has worked as an anti-violence activist, an aspiring politician, and an enforcer of the law.
Bart Simpson
Bart Simpson is the oldest child of the Simpson family. He is a prolific troublemaker, mischief-maker, and all-around delinquent at times. He loves skateboarding, and has several memorable catchphrases including “Ay Caramba!” and “Eat my shorts!” Bart was a prankster from birth, as he caught Homer’s tie on fire immediately after being born from Marge’s womb. His antics often land Bart in detention, where writing lines is often his punishment. Bart Simpson is also big on mooning people and does so whenever he gets the chance. In addition to skateboarding and pranks, Bart Simpson enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, working on street art and graffiti, and watching Krusty the Clown. While Bart’s level of intelligence is a matter of debate amongst Simpsons enthusiasts, he has demonstrated extremes of intelligence and stupidity over the course of the show. What is less under contention is Bart’s athletic prowess, particularly his favorite pastime of skateboarding. Although he is only an elementary school student, Bart has amassed an impressive criminal record.
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Simpson is the middle child of the Simpson family, sitting at eight years old between her older brother Bart and her kid sister Maggie. She is easily the smartest member of the Simpson family, and as such serves as a counterbalance to the family’s crazy antics at times that even Marge cannot provide such a normalizing force. Lisa enjoys music, particularly saxophone and guitar, as well as equestrian sports and advanced school subjects. Lisa is a member of MENSA due to her IQ of above 150. Even though she is much smarter than her brother Bart, Lisa often finds herself in detention as well due to a particularly venomous rebellious streak and a lack of hesitation to lampoon authority figures in her life. Lisa is a vegetarian and often seeks to exert this and her other ideas on others – if she has any flaw, it is a bit of arrogance that comes from her superior intellect.
Maggie Simpson
Maggie Simpson is the youngest member and daughter of the Simpson family. Still a baby, she rarely talks. She is most attached to her mother, Marge Simpson, compared to the other members of her family. Like her brother Bart Simpson, Maggie has a mischievous streak and has played a few baby level pranks on unwitting family members and neighbors.
Santa’s Little Helper
Santa’s Little Helper is perhaps the most adorable member of the Simpson family. He is their family dog, a greyhound, and a delightful presence to have around. Originally a racing dog named Number 8, Santa’s Little Helper came home with Homer after losing one too many times at the racetrack. Santa’s Little Helper shares the same birthday as Homer Simpson and has saved the day on more than one occasion. All in all, Santa’s Little Helper is one of the top fan-favorite characters when it comes to The Simpsons.
Mr. Burns
Mr. Burns, also known as Charles Montgomery Plantagenet Schicklgruber Burns, Monty Burns, Montgomery Burns, and C.M. Burns is the default antagonist of the Simpsons universe. He is the wealthiest, oldest, and most influential citizen of Springfield, and owns the lucrative Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Mr. Burns is quite wealthy and is known to have a net worth of over 1.8 billion dollars. As a child, Mr. Burns was the second youngest of twelve siblings, with his younger brother being George Burns. He was known as Happy Burns in his youth, a stark contrast to his miserly self in the Simpsons present. An avid gun enthusiast, Mr. Burns is known to employ somewhat unscrupulous techniques when it comes to getting what he wants and ensuring his fortune.
Krusty the Clown
Krusty the Clown is a rather freakish character from The Simpsons. Born Rory B. Bellows, but now known as Sir Herschel Shmoikel Pinchas Yerucham Krustofsky, Krusty the Clown runs the popular TV show The Krusty the Clown Show. Contrary to his jolly appearance, Krusty the Clown is plagued by addiction and mental illness stemming from a troubled childhood. As a kid, Krusty the Clown wanted to go to clown school and join the funny business; but his strict Jewish parents wanted him to have nothing to do with such foolery. This cognitive dissonance led to the complex character of Krusty the Clown that we all know and love today. One of Krusty the Clown’s key personality traits is his general dislike for the fans of him and his show. Even Bart Simpson, who is one of Krusty’s biggest fans and who has saved Krusty from ruin on multiple occasions, gets little more than general apathy from the troubled clown of Springfield.
Milhouse Van Houten
Milhouse is Bart’s best friend. Milhouse, or fully Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten, is somewhat nerdy, with a big nose and thick glasses. Although he does well enough in school, Milhouse suffers from poor social acclimation and is quite gullible, finding himself more often than not at the rough end of Bart’s scheming.
Principal Seymour Skinner
Principal Skinner plays the classic principal trope in the world of The Simpsons. His struggles include an inadequate school budget, resentful teachers, and most of all Bart Simpson. Principal Skinner is a Vietnam war veteran and suffers from frequent post-traumatic stress disorder as a result. At his core, Principal Skinner truly does care about his students, wanting them to receive the best education possible. Principal Skinner is among the more complex characters in the Simpsons universe. On one hand, he works to maintain his appearance as an authoritative leader of his educational institution, in line with his military background. On the other hand, he is often wishy-washy when it comes to matters of enforcement, and he suffers from general anxiety and nervousness. There is certainly more to Principal Skinner than meets the eye.
Chief Wiggum
Chief Wiggum, full name Chief Clancy Wiggum, is the head policeman in the Springfield Police Department. He has a bevy of character flaws, including his poor health and love of donuts and popcorn; a lack of proper information which leads to unintentional abuse of his position of authority; general laziness; corruption and expectation of bribery; and ignorance regarding the actual laws of the city that he runs. Despite all of his shortcomings, Chief Wiggum is generally perceived to act with good intentions, as nothing about his character is mean spirited at the core. Chief Wiggum is part Irish.
Troy McClure
Troy McClure is a somewhat sleazy, washed up actor who is a common sight around the streets of Springfield. Although he peaked as a B-list film actor, Troy McClure has since fallen from grace and mills about the city without much to do. His best-known work is rather unimpressive, spanning media such as educational videos, infomercials, and voice-overs.
Grampa Simpson
Grampa Simpson, full name Abraham Jebediah “Abe” Simpson II, is also known as just Grampa or Grifty McGrift. The father of Homer Simpson, Grampa Simpson was born in Albany, New York. Grampa Simpson is a World War II veteran. His greatest personality traits are being generally incompetent, forgetful, and old. Grampa Simpson is often theorized to be senile. Among his many accolades include being a Freemason, a Communist leader, a Stonecutter, and the president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance. He was born in either Ireland or the United Kingdom. Grampa Simpson competed at the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin, mistakenly killing Hitler’s would-be assassin with a javelin. In terms of his relationship with Homer, Grampa Simpson was far from a great father. His mistreatment and poor communication with the protagonist of The Simpsons led to years of pent up anger and dysfunctionality amongst the two Simpsons elders.
Kirk Van Houten
Kirk Van Houten is most notable as the father of Milhouse Van Houten, Bart Simpson’s best friend. He is painted as a typical deadbeat father, suffering from depression and obesity following his divorce from Milhouse’s mother Luann. Kirk Van Houten has been the unfortunate recipient of various maimings across the course of the show, including the severing of this right arm in place of Homer’s neck during a failed assassination attempt on the latter; and the severing of his foot by his son Milhouse and his friend Bart in an attempt to get the unlucky bachelor back together with his divorced wife.
Superintendent Chalmers
Superintendent Chalmers, full name Garabaldi “Gary” Chalmers, is the superintendent of the Springfield school system, and the superior of Principal Skinner. His most notable catchphrase is “SKINNERRRRR!!,” and he is quite critical of the well-meaning Principal Skinner. In fact, there is little confidence among the Simpsons fan base that Superintendent Chalmers is very qualified for his job, as is the case with the majority of traditional authority figures in the world of The Simpsons.
Lionel Hutz
Lionel Hutz, also known by the aliases Miguel Sanchez and Dr. Nguyen Van Phuoc, is Springfield’s preeminent incompetent lawyer. Contrary to the traditional expectation of lawyers, Lionel Hutz is perpetually poor due to his lack of clients. His main reliable client is the Simpson family, generally due to Homer’s poor judgment when it comes to matters of sensibility. Lionel Hutz operated his legal practice, I Can’t Believe It’s a Law Firm! out of a shopping mall storefront. In addition to being a lawyer, Lionel Hutz has canonically been a real estate agent and a recovering alcoholic in his time.
Sideshow Bob
Sideshow Bob, also known as Dr. Robert Underdunk “Bob” Terwilliger, Jr., is the main antagonist of The Simpsons behind Mr. Burns. Once the trusty partner of Krusty the Clown, Sideshow Bob has since turned down a much darker criminal path. He is the true nemesis of fan-favorite hero Bart Simpson. Sideshow Bob’s interests include operettas and other forms of high culture, the Republican party, and he is well known for his self-declared genius status and his abnormally large feet. Sideshow Bob’s life of crime began when he framed Krusty the Clown for robbing the beloved Kwik-E-Mart. After the framing was successful, Sideshow Bob was able to take over the Krusty the Clown Show for a brief period of time before his wrongdoing was exposed by Bart and Lisa Simpson. Even so, there’s a silver lining to everything – while in prison, Sideshow Bob managed to win an Emmy for his work on the Krusty the Clown Show.
Ralph Wiggum
The beloved son of Police Chief Clancy, Ralph Wiggum is a young elementary school student at Springfield Elementary. He seems rather simple, although he means well, and does not seem to grasp reality on the same terms as the people around him. His behavior is generally erratic, as is his decision making, but he does somehow seem to always come up with surprisingly profound statements that impress those around him with the unexpected depths of his intellect. Some fans theorize that Ralph Wiggum’s unusual mannerisms are due to his being dropped on his head by his father, the somewhat inept Police Chief Clancy. Ralph Wiggums tends to enjoy eating unusual objects, such as worms, lamps, the Easter bunny, crayons, paste, clay, and other arts and crafts supplies. While Ralph is generally a cheerful young boy, he does experience loneliness at times. It’s a shame that such a bright young child is subjected to the darkness of real life, but such is the way with characters in the world of The Simpsons.
Lenny and Carl
Lenny and Carl are Homer’s best friends and his coworkers at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Lenny comes across as rather unintelligent, although he does have a master’s degree in physics of the nuclear variety. Lenny also has an imaginary friend, a green elephant curiously named Pinky. He is an avid Buddhist. Carl Carlson also works at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant as a safety operations supervisor, and also has a master’s degree in nuclear physics. Like Lenny, Carl Carlson is a Buddhist and grew up in the lovely island nation of Iceland. This iconic duo sets the backdrop for many of Homer’s antics, and they are an important part of the landscape of the world of The Simpsons.
Moe Szyslak
Moe Szyslak, also known as Moammar Morris “Moe” Szyslak or Moe the Bartender, is the owner of his namesake Moe’s Tavern. This bar is the favorite spot of Homer Simpson and his other friends, where many of the show’s greatest antics take place. Alongside characters such as Mr. Burns and Sideshow Bob, Moe can be considered as one of the primary antagonists in the world of the Simpsons. Even so, Moe is always friendly towards Homer and his crew, an exception from his generally grim outlook towards the world. Moe is notoriously difficult to find a date for, and this character trait sets the premise for multiple story arcs over the course of The Simpsons. In addition to Moe’s Tavern, at which he is the main bartender, Moe also owns a series of other culinary operations, including Moe’s Bagels and Moe’s Express. It is unknown whether Moe immigrated from the Netherlands or was born in Indiana; in either case, it is likely confirmed that he is the son of the Himalayan yeti.
Ned Flanders
Ned Flanders, full name Nedward “Ned” Flanders, is the neighbor of the Simpson family. He generally holds good intentions and is a religiously devout man, of the Christian faith to be specific. He is also a loyal teammate on the Springfield Volunteer Fire Department. As a child, Ned Flanders grew up in New York and was the latchkey kid of a pair of hippie parents. In a sudden reversal of this childhood freedom, he was taken to a psychological treatment center at the recommendation of his psychiatrist, where eight months of uninterrupted spanking led him to a state of not being able to express anger ever again. This repressed anger is part of the darker side of this generally jolly neighborly figure. He works at a mall shop known as “The Leftorium,” which sells products primarily meant for people who are left-handed.
Mayor Quimby
Mayor Quimby, the full name Joseph Fitzgerald O’Malley Fitzpatrick O’Donnell The Edge “Diamond Joe” Quimby Jr., is the official mayor of Springfield, the town that marks the setting of The Simpsons. Mayor Quimby’s main objectives in life revolve around his reelection, philandering, and other self-serving ends. He is never one to balk at a little bit of corruption, or even a lot of corruption. Unfortunately for the citizens of Springfield, Mayor Quimby’s focus on himself has led him to be generally uninformed about political matters, and he is often seen being overly dismissive of the city’s citizens. Even so, Mayor Quimby can be counted on to make public appearances for local events, whether they are parties, festivals, grand openings, or the like. Mayor Quimby is allegedly an avid marijuana user, according to Birch Barlow. The mayor’s catchphrase is, unsurprisingly, “Vote Quimby,” and he often says it at times when it is not in his best interests.
That’s all for our giant list of characters from The Simpsons. We hope you’ve enjoyed this walk down memory lane, and perhaps you’ve learned something new about your favorite characters too.
