Just for fun…Does the shoe fit?
The following was first published in Sharyl ATTKISSON’s free Substack
Maybe you’re like me and have lost track of the nicknames for various “generations,” the timeframe they include, and what the titles connote.
So here for your information, and just for fun, is a concise list.
Where do you fall on the timeline?
What about your children, friends, and others you know?
Do the stereotypes ring true?
For the record, I’m a Baby Boomer. (And I don’t think I’m materialistic!)
Read on for details.
- The Greatest Generation (Born 1901–1927)
- Timeframe: Early 20th century to late 1920s.
- Characteristics/Stereotype: Endured the Great Depression and fought in World War II; seen as hardworking, patriotic, and resilient, valuing duty and community.
- Naming Origin: An earlier usage of the term “The Greatest Generation” is credited to U.S. Army General James Van Fleet in 1953. In a speech to Congress, he described the men of the Eighth Army, which he led during the Korean War, as “the greatest generation of Americans we have ever produced.” Journalist Tom Brokaw titled his 1998 book The Greatest Generation and praised their sacrifices. The name gained traction through media coverage and public admiration for wartime heroism, and became widely accepted by the early 2000s.
- The Silent Generation (Born 1928–1945)
- Timeframe: Late 1920s to mid-1940s.
- Characteristics/Stereotype: Grew up during the Depression and World War II; viewed as cautious, conformist, and focused on stability, prioritizing jobs and family.
- Naming Origin: Introduced in a 1951 Time magazine article describing the era’s youth as reserved and conformist. Sociologists and media adopted the term in the 1950s to contrast their quiet diligence with louder generations, cementing its use.
- Baby Boomers (Born 1946–1964)
- Timeframe: Mid-1940s to mid-1960s, post-World War II baby boom.
- Characteristics/Stereotype: Experienced prosperity and cultural shifts (such as 1960s counterculture); seen as ambitious, work-focused, and materialistic, often blamed for today’s economic issues.
- Naming Origin: Emerged in the late 1940s in media to describe the post-war birth surge. Demographers and marketers popularized “Baby Boomers” in the 1960s, with the media solidifying it as the cohort’s defining label by the 1970s.
- Generation X (Born 1965–1980)
- Timeframe: Mid-1960s to late 1970s/early 1980s.
- Characteristics/Stereotype: Grew up with economic shifts and early tech (such as PCs); independent, skeptical, and adaptable, stereotyped as “slackers” but often entrepreneurial.
- Naming Origin: Early uses include a 1964 UK study. Author Douglas Coupland popularized the term in his 1991 novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, capturing their aimless vibe and making it the standard term by the mid-1990s.
- Millennials (Generation Y) (Born 1981–1996)
- Timeframe: Early 1980s to mid-1990s.
- Characteristics/Stereotype: Came of age with the internet and 2008 recession; tech-savvy, idealistic, socially conscious, stereotyped as entitled or social media-obsessed.
- Naming Origin: Coined by historians and authors Neil Howe and William Strauss in 1987, preferring “Millennials” for their optimistic, post-Cold War spirit over “Generation Y.” Media and marketers embraced it in the 2000s, with Pew Research standardizing it by 2010, overshadowing the nickname “Gen Y.”
- Generation Z (Born 1997–2012)
- Timeframe: Late 1990s to early 2010s.
- Characteristics/Stereotype: Digital natives raised with smartphones; pragmatic, diverse, activist-minded, focused on mental health and climate, stereotyped as screen-addicted.
- Naming Origin: Evolved as “Generation Z” to follow “Y,” with no single coiner easily identifiable. Marketers and researchers popularized it in the early 2010s to describe the post-Millennial, tech-driven cohort, gaining wide acceptance by 2015 through media and surveys.
- Generation Alpha (Born 2013–Present)
- Timeframe: Early 2010s to mid-2020s (ongoing).
- Characteristics/Stereotype: Children of Millennials, immersed in AI and advanced tech; expected to be highly educated, creative, but potentially overstimulated digitally.
- Naming Origin: Coined by Australian researcher Mark McCrindle in 2008, using “Alpha” (first Greek letter) to signal a new era. Adopted by global researchers and media in the 2010s as the logical successor to Gen Z, widely used by 2020.
- Naming Process: Names for the generations come from various scholars, media, or authors. They gain acceptance through repeated use in books, news articles, marketing, and public discourse. Organizations like Pew Research often standardize the generation ranges and terms.
- Acceptance: Media amplification and cultural resonance drive widespread adoption of the name of a generation.
Variations: Birth year ranges may differ slightly but the ones in this article are generally based on Pew Research and common usage in the U.S.
What do you think? Do you fit the stereotypes for your generation?
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The Boomer generation is too large a span of time. I’m at the tail end (64) and have characteristics of Gen X and Boomer – one of the defining Boomer experiences is Kennedy’s assassination – I wasn’t around then. Also, the late 60s early 70s civil unrest – I was too young to understand. However, I am an older GenX for sure as well. I call us the ‘tweeners.’
Probably the worst interpretation of the generations ever produced.
There was a significant difference between those who graduated (H.S.) in 1972 and before, and those who graduated in 1974 and after. The former were self-assured, idealistic, and ego-centric; the latter were “How am I going to ever find a job and survive?” and quite practical (and useful). It is a big dividing line between the boomers, one that has not closed.
As a 1940 model I appear in the ‘Silent Generation’ corrral, but disagree about the cautious label – we were some of the early revolutionaries, though not through any leadership of Mr. Marx or Mr. Lenin. We were taught to make up our own minds and to be original. We did our best.
You forgot Generation Jones – 1955-1965. Often conflated with Boomers, but a different breed entirely – cynical, fiercely independent, quirky, rebellious. Grew up with the assassinations of MLK and Bobby and the later stages of the Vietnam War. Think Frank Zappa, not flower power.
You forgot Generation Jones – 1955-1965. Often conflated with Boomers, but a different breed entirely – cynical, fiercely independent, quirky, rebellious. Grew up with the assassinations of MLK and Bobby and the later stages of the Vietnam War. Think Frank Zappa, not flower power.
Interesting how many rockers were born as the silent generation.
Parents (father b. 1917, mother 1919) married 1940. Children in 41, 44,47,then me in 52. Most of my classmates were oldest or 2nd oldest in their families, not the youngest like me. So I am not an Exploding Infant! Generational game is great fun but it misses a lot of things and needs year by year fine-tuning.
Someone else noted 1972 vs. 1974. The real difference is getting out of high school 1970 and later vs. 1969 and earlier.