Generation Names & Labels 👪

Generation Names List 👪 Timeline of Living Generations with Characteristics

Living generation names and ages and characteristics. Which of the generations names best represents you? Are you a youthful, digital-native Generation Z child? A 20-30 something millennial who remembers 9/11? Or a more senior member of the silent generation? ADDucation’s generations names list focuses on the 7 living generations. These make up most of the western populations today. Researchers and demographers love to label groups of people with generation names and talk about them in general terms. People born at the same time, in the same locality, that have lived through similar life experiences, are “Birth cohorts”. Birth cohorts tend to have similar prospects, outlooks, preferences and value systems.

ADDucation’s generations names list was compiled by Joe Connor and last updated Dec 31, 2022 @ 3:48 pm

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Generation Names

What years are Generation Alpha, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z etc?

The birth years column in our living generations table includes the guide birth years for the 7 living generations.

Why do Generation birth years vary?

The birth years for each generation do vary by locality (usually by country) according to the economic or political events which affected a generation.

What is the generation gap (or generational gap)?

The difference (gap) between the political beliefs and values held between generations of children, their parents and grandparents.

What if I disagree with my generation name?

The birth years (demographic cohorts) are not official and vary by researchers, country and locality. Check the generations either side of your birth year and pick a generation label you best identify with.

ADDucation Tips: Click column headings with arrows to sort our generation names chart. Reload page for original sort order. Resize your browser to full screen and/or zoom out to display as many columns as possible. Click the ➕ icon to reveal any hidden columns. Start typing in the Filter table box to find anything inside the generations table.

Living generation names 👪	Birth years^[3]	Formative experiences	Generation names and descriptions with traits, facts & trivia
Snowflake Generation / Generation Snowflake / Millennium Snowflake Alternative Snowflake Generation names include: Gen Z / Z Gen. Generation Alpha (2011-2025) New Silent Generation.	2000-2024 (0-22 years old today)	Doting parents Social media.	The snowflake generation is the generation label applied to some of today’s young adults. A 2006 LiveJournal post, by invisibob, “Beginning with the knowledge that each of us is a unique and special snowflake” is now in the Urban Dictionary. Snowflake millenials are said to easily take offence, exhibit entitled behaviour, and may believe many things are against their human rights. They are said to suffer from “Special snowflake syndrome (SSS)”.
Generation Z / Z Generation. Alternative Z Generation names include: Gen Z / Z Gen. iGen. Centennials The Founders Homelanders Screeners ReGen Plurals Posts.	1996-2020 (1-26 years old today)	Global warming Economic uncertainty Terrorism Social media Green energy Arab spring iPhone (2007) Motorola cell phones (1999) DVDs.	iGen is the most diverse generation ever – so diverse they only notice absence of diversity! iGens love technology but often have a limited grasp of how to take advantage of new technologies The Founders are the biggest influencers of how older generations use technology. Interestingly technology now trickles UP the generations instead of down The first cell phones became affordable and went on to include smartphones with cameras and web browsers Gen Z are tech savvy, brand aware and most open to new ways to shop, bank and communicate Generation Z^[3] know life isn’t going to be easy or fair Social media affects the self-esteem of Generation Z more than other generations and they’re also the loneliest generation. Gen Z have been immersed in technology from birth. They’ve been described as the “socially-conscious generation” dealing with mental health issues, gender preferences and cyberbullying Gen Z believe in the American dream and democracy but are depressed by the economy and political leaders.
Millennials. Alternative Millennials Generation names include: Y Generation / Generation Y Y Gen / Gen Y Generation Me / Me Generation Generation We / We Generation Echo Boomers Peter Pan Generation.	1977-1995 (25-45 years old today)	9/11 Terrorist attacks School shootings Y2K Iraq invasion Reality TV Home computers (1980s) DVD Players Sony Walkman (1981).	Anyone who can remember 9/11 (11 September 2001) and was born after 1977 is a Millennial^[2]. Other birth years for this generation don’t meet the 9/11 criteria which is pivotal: Millennials are tech dependent. They generally don’t understand how it works, but they know they need it. Rise of consoles Xbox, Nintendo & PlayStation Rise of the internet, email, websites, social media and sending SMS texts Gen Y suffers from depression more than other generations Millennials, based on whether they have children or not, are splitting into two groups aged around 30 years old. Both sub-groups find it hard to relate to the other group Millennials are sometimes referred to as “Generation Me” but new research believes they may be “Generation We“ Millennials most offended by the accusation of a “sense of entitlement” are other millennials.
Generation X / X Generation. Alternative X Generation names include: X Gen / Gen X Baby Busters Gen Xers Thirteeners (1965-1979).	1965-1976 (44-55 years old today)	Fall of Berlin Wall Live Aid Home computers Thatcherism Challenger explosion Rise of divorce.	The children of parents that both worked, and left their children unsupervised, were called “latch key kids” As adults Generation X^[1] are entrepreneurial, active and enjoying a good work-life balance Gen X is often used to describe subcultures and countercultures since the 1950s Gen Xers, as teenagers/youngsters watched MTV and wrote emails VCR video recorders became available.
Baby Boomers. There are many references to alternative baby boomer generation names including: Generation Jones (1954-1965) GenJonesers Me Generation Golden Boomers Late Boomers Trailing-Edge Boomers Cuspers Alpha Boomers.	1946-1964 (56-76 years old today)	The Cold War JFK assassination Civil rights Sexual liberation Post war boom Apollo moon landings Woodstock Family lifestyle Wrote letters Used landlines American Dream.	Baby boomers were born after the demographic “boom” or “shock-wave” of high birth rates after World War II. Baby boomers share many values with both older and younger generations but often reject traditional values Baby boomers were the first generation to see and talk about the world in generational terms. This led to attempts to define subcultures including hippies, yuppies and many others The Silent generation, especially musicians, were strong cultural influencers. For example The Beatles, Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones Baby boomers were more active, physically fitter and wealthier than earlier generations Baby boomers grew up expecting to be able to offer a better world for their children. This affected how they parented their children The post war Generation Jones sub-generation wanted to “keep up with the Joneses”. Recession and unemployment during the 1980s frustrated their desire for material possessions. GenJonesers are often identified as key swing voters, in western elections The Generation Jones cohort are often cynical, pessimistic and distrusting of government Barack Obama (1961) and Sarah Palin (1964) are both Generation Jonesers.
The Silent Generation Alternative generation names include: Traditionalists Maturists Veterans Lucky Few Builders (Australia).	1925-1945 (75-97 years old today)	World War II (1938-1945) Great depression (1930s) Rationing Fixed gender roles Jobs for life Wrote letters.	So called because they generally conformed to the social norms of the time and focused on their careers. The oldest members of the silent generation may have fought in World War II Younger members may have fought in the Korean War and/or Vietnam War Hardship during the great depression led to the second world war which resulted in fewer children called “the lucky few” Popular Music: Jazz, Swing People born during the silent generation had a huge influence on younger generations: Political leaders: Robert F. Kennedy, Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher and Boris Yeltsin Revolutionary leaders: Fidel Castro and Che Guevara Civil rights leaders: Martin Luther King and Malcolm X Activists: Gloria Steinem (1934) Writers: Allen Ginsberg (1926-97) Artists: Andy Warhol (1928) Musicians: The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were all born during the 1940’s. Bob Dylan (1941), James Brown and Elvis Presley. Leonard Cohen, Miles Davis, Johnny Cash, Little Richard, Frank Zappa (1940), Stephen Sondheim (1930) and Sammy Davis Jr. Movies and movie stars: Gone with the wind. Marilyn Monroe, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner Comedians: Richard Pryor, John Cleese, Bill Cosby (1937), Joan Rivers, Dave Allen and Woody Allen Philosophers: Noam Chomsky (1928) and Richard Rorty (1931).
G.I. Generation / Generation G.I. (General or Government Issue). Alternative GI Generation names include: Greatest Generation WWII generation The Interbellum Generation The Greatest Generation	1901-1924 (98+ years old today)	Roaring Twenties World War I.	Most of this generation lived through World War I and were old enough to fight in World War II or serve on the home front. They also lived through the 1930s Great Depression. People born in the Greatest Generation that influenced later generations include: 7 former Presidents of the United States of America: Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-73), John F. Kennedy (1917-63), Richard Nixon (1913-94), Gerald Ford (1913-2006), Jimmy Carter (1924), Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) and George H. W. Bush (1924) Movie stars, musicians and entertainers: Clark Gable (1901-60), Glen Miller (1904-44), Peter Cushing (1913-94) and Alec Guinness (1914-2000). Frank Sinatra (1915-98), Dean Martin (1917-95) and Judy Garland (1922-69) Writers: Ian Fleming (1908-64) and Stan Lee (1922) Leaders: Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) and Leonid Brezhnev (1906-82), General Secretary of the Soviet Union. Athletes: Jesse Owens (1913-80).

13 responses to “Generation Names & Labels 👪”

todd lissner says:

July 30, 2022 at 7:13 pm

I think millennial or crossover “xennial” applies to people even several years older then what it says. There’s also also Zinnias between Generation Z and Millennial.

Reply
- Joe Connor says:
  
  August 1, 2022 at 11:48 am
  
  Hi Todd, Zinnias is a new generation to us! Tell us more and check the FAQs on the page “What if I don’t agree with my generation name?” which answers the first part of your comment.
  
  Reply
Blake says:

January 5, 2022 at 4:29 am

This website seems to indicate that the newer generations are soft. I’ll tell ya that we are not. I’ve been working since I was 15 in construction, manufacturing, and now tech. Us young people just want to be paid fairly so that we can raise our families right.

Reply
- Joe Connor says:
  
  January 7, 2022 at 10:43 am
  
  Hi Blake, I have children of working age and life is tough for them too so I agree with your comments and you have made your point. Any suggestions to amend the list will be considered.
  
  Reply
Cathy M says:

November 27, 2021 at 5:43 pm

1965 has always been the last of the Baby Boomers generation. Over the last 10+ years, mostly, it seems to vary ending between 1959 to 1966. I grew up seeing & being told 1965 ends Baby Boomers so I am a Baby Boomers generation, NOT Generation X…have no idea why it changes so much these days.

Reply
anne doyle Hauer says:

October 16, 2021 at 3:56 pm

my dad was born in 1927 and served in ww2. I consider him g1 not silent generation.

Reply
- Joe Connor says:
  
  November 8, 2021 at 3:40 pm
  
  Hi Anne, thanks for your comment. The notes do explain that everyone is allowed to choose the generation they identify with, if any. In your case we understand and respect your choice for your dad and his service during WWII.
  
  Reply
Mark says:

March 5, 2021 at 12:53 pm

Yes, we watched a lot of MTV but emails and SMS text messages weren’t available to us as youngsters. That would be for Millennials.

Reply
- Joe Connor says:
  
  March 6, 2021 at 12:05 am
  
  Thanks Mark, good spot, we’ve updated the list.
  
  Reply
stephen says:

January 28, 2021 at 5:53 am

Generations can not overlap, it defeats the purpose of generation gapping– Gen Z cuts off earlier than what is listed, and “Snowflake” would not be 2000, i think Genz Z ends 2015 – new one starts 2016.

Reply
- Joe Connor says:
  
  January 30, 2021 at 4:24 pm
  
  Hi Stephen, thanks for your comment. In principle we agree with you. In practice, as one of the FAQs on the page explains, we can’t find any official source which applies worldwide.
  
  Reply
Harriet says:

November 11, 2019 at 12:15 pm

Please reverse the order of wartime service/ages of The Silent Generation. WWII occurred before Korea/Vietnam wars so the page should read “Youngest” serving in Korean War/Vietnam War and “Oldest” serving in WWII.

Reply
- Joe Connor says:
  
  November 12, 2019 at 1:23 am
  
  Good spot Harriet, thanks for letting us know, we’ve now corrected the error.
  
  Reply