Each year is a small part of a generation. Whether it is the Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millenials, or Generation Z, everyone reading this is a part of one of these generations. But which one? Many people are unsure of what generation they are from, so this is meant to clear things up a bit. 

While we mostly hear about the Baby Boomers, there are still many grandparents that may be from the generation before them called the Silent Generation. But, the oldest generation many hear of is the Baby Boomers, these people were born ranging from the years 1946 to 1964. This is the generation that was named the “Baby Boomers” because of the fact that during this period of time, there was statistically, a significant increase in the number of births that occurred.

After the Baby Boomers came Generation X. Generation X babies are considered to be born between 1965 to 1976. This generation was born during a time of shifting societal values. This generation was named Generation X after a novel was published in 1991 that was written by Douglas Coupland called: “Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture.” The book was meant to be used for marketing rather than sociology, but it explains the assumption that people born within the same time frame can be considered a group. These groups often have similar views, values, tastes, and even habits. The book also includes the idea of a “generation gap,” which helped gain the idea broad acceptance in the United States. 

The Millenials have to be one of the most widely talked about generations. Honestly, I hear about this generation so much more than any other. The Millenial generation is currently considered to be from the year 1977 to the year 1995. The Millenials are also called Generation Y because they follow Generation X. Millenials are often confused with Generation Z because both have similar tastes, although not exact. They were each born in generations of new and improved technology. The Millenials were raised during the time where some of the first personal computers, cell phones, and even video game consoles were released. This may sound a lot like Generation X, and it certainly is, but there are a few differences. 

Generation Z is the generation following the Millenials, they are considered to be born between the years 1996 to the present day. This generation has multiple different names including the iGeneration, Gen Tech, Gen Wii, and Net Gen. Although some may think of the Millenials and this generation as the same, the technology this generation has grown up with is much more modern, like smartphones with apps and games to play. Generation Z has also grown up with tablets and touch screen computers. 

Because the generations may be confusing, some believe they do not fit in within these certain groups. This is because sometimes a person is born so close to the end of a generation and to the start of a new generation that they consider themselves as gap generation babies.

 However, people need to also be aware that all three generations after the Baby Boomers have not been set and stone. So, if you’re a student looking up what generation you may be from you can usually get around one of the three different answers. Basically, this means that anyone born after the Baby Boomer generation does not have a clearly defined generation. Well, at least not yet.