Skip to ContentSign up / Sign inHi SearchSign up / Sign inHi Share this —DashboardMy SavedProfileSearch TodaySearchSectionsShowsMoreFollow todayMore BrandsFrom Boomers to Gen Beta: A guide to the generation namesGen Z this, boomer that ... and now Gen Beta? Here's how to define the different generation names.Gen Z was born between 1997 and 2012 and is considered the first generation to have largely grown up using the internet, modern technology and social media. Halfpoint Images / Getty ImagesFeb. 28, 2024, 2:43 PM EST / Updated Jan. 9, 2025, 9:31 AM ESTBy The year 2025 will give rise to a whole new generation of babies ... and many of them will even live to see the 22nd century. babies began arriving on Jan. 1, 2025.To understand the potential characteristics of this new generation, we must first examine the generations of the past. Each generation comes with its own lived history and stereotypes. Whether you’re trying to figure out where you fall on the spectrum or want to decode age-specific , this generation names guide can help explain some key aspects of each generation. Just keep in mind, as the cautions, “generational boundaries are not a hard science.”More on the generational divide: Silent Generation (1928 - 1945)The Silent Generation was born between 1928 to 1945, according to the Pew Research Center. Its name, first coined in a essay, refers to the widespread parenting philosophy of this generation for kids to be “seen and not heard.”This generation, making up about 7% of the population in 2022, according to the , has often been described as pragmatic and in their approaches to personal finance.Baby Boomers (1946 - 1964)Next up is the baby boom generation, born from 1946 to 1964, whose name can be attributed to the spike in births — or “baby boom” — in the U.S. and Europe following World War II. As of 2019, the number of baby boomers in the U.S. was about , according to Pew.In the past decade, the phrase “” has gained popularity among teenagers and young adults as a dismissive response to older individuals. These retorts often come in the context of disagreements or criticisms of opinions widely shared among younger generations, such as the severity of climate change, economic hardship or political partisanship.Gen X (1965 - 1980)Gen X, or those born from 1965 to 1980, grew up with punk rock, hip-hop and grunge. Some key historical moments that shaped Gen X include the end of the Cold War and the rise of laissez-faire economics under Ronald Reagan's presidency.Gen X has a relatively small population compared to boomers and millennials and is generally known for being able to maintain a work-life balance.Millennials (1981 - 1996)Gen Y, better known as millennials, were born from 1981 to 1996. The generation’s name originates from the fact that the oldest members were reaching adulthood around the turn of the millennium.The millennial generation is largely known for having faced significant economic hardship throughout its lifetime, dealing with both the Great Recession in the late 2000s and the 2020 recession due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The average millennial has experienced slower economic growth since entering the workforce than any other generation in the U.S., according to reporting from the .Beyond economic hardship, millennials are also known for adeptness with technology, having witnessed the rapid advancement of technological development from a young age.Gen Z (1997 - 2012) was born between 1997 and 2012 and is considered the first generation to have largely grown up using the internet, modern technology and social media. Members of Gen Z are sometimes known as zoomers.Alex Doyle, a 20-year-old Gen Z’er from South Carolina, says she thinks the relationship with technology is what distinguishes Gen Z from the other generations.“I feel like it’s unique how we know the world before social media but also have seen how it can be useful, whereas the generations before us are more averse to that and Gen Alpha are iPad kids and, like, can’t read,” Doyle said. is also known for a general awareness of social justice and .Gen Alpha (2011 - 2024) encompasses those born from 2011 to 2024. This generation is known for being digital natives, even more so than Gen Z, having been born into a world that is fully integrated with technology, and global connection.Gen Z tends to criticize Gen Alpha's . As a result, they say Gen Alpha’s “iPad kids” have developed unwanted, unhealthy and downright strange behavior, say Gen Z critics.The rise of technology in the hands of kids has led experts like Jonathan Haidt to call Gen Alpha “.”Gen Beta (starting 2025)Gen Beta will generally be the children of Gen Z who are born starting Jan. 1, 2025. can be murky, but Generation Beta will continue being born until around 2039. Jason Dorsey, a generational researcher and the author of “Zconomy: How Gen Z Will Change the Future of Business — and What to Do About It,” says Gen Beta may not have experienced the school shutdowns and social isolation of Covid, but their families and their siblings will have been irrevocably shaped by it.He adds that Generation Beta will probably be entrenched in smart devices and artificial intelligence and will likely grow up with climate change as a dire reality with more direct consequences on their lives. Do generational names truly mean anything?“Generational labels are helpful as long as you understand their limitations. We think they’re really helpful to get a head start, to create more of a shared understanding,” Dorsey says. Of course each new baby won’t be confined to the shared traits of this label. After all, Dorsey notes, “We’re all still individuals.”Esther Sun is an intern for TODAY.com. She loves café-hopping and watching cooking TikToks she knows she will never try.RelatedTeens / Updated June 20, 2025Parents / Updated June 18, 2025Teens / Updated June 16, 2025Teens / Updated June 12, 2025Teens / Updated June 6, 2025Teens / Updated June 4, 2025Teens / Updated May 31, 2025Teens / Updated May 28, 2025Teens / Updated May 21, 2025Teens / Updated May 19, 2025© 2025 NBCUniversal Media, LLCApple®, Apple logo® and App Store® are registered trademarks of Apple Inc., Gen Z was born between 1997 and 2012 and is considered the first generation to have largely grown up using the internet, modern technology and social media. Members of Gen Z are sometimes, According to a report in June by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, nearly half of all workers across four generations from baby boomers to Gen Z either plan to retire past age 65.