How do i know what generation i am

  • Generation X is anyone born from 1965 to 1980.
  • Baby boomers are anyone born from 1946 to 1964.
  • Millennials are anyone born from 1981 to 1996.
  • Generation Z is anyone born from 1997 to 2012.

The Pew Research Center explains that generations are defined by groups of people born within the same 15-20 year span. They explain how generations are measured to observe change over time across people. “They can provide a way to understand how different formative experiences interact with the life-cycle and aging process to shape people’s view of the world,” says Pew. 

From baby boomers to Gen X to millennials to Gen Z and the newly emerging Gen Alpha, millions of people across the world connect under the generational relation of being born within the same time period. Even so, it sometimes can be unclear how each generation is defined and to which one you belong. What years are Gen X and other generations?

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How do i know what generation i am

What years are Gen X?

According to Beresford Research, Generation X is anyone born between the years 1965 and 1980. Gen X is the generation that follows the baby boomers. According to Britannica, Gen Xers are described as “​​resourceful, independent, and keen on maintaining work-life balance.”

What years are baby boomers?

According to Beresford Research, baby boomers are anyone born between 1946 and 1964. Baby boomers are the generation of people born after World War II when the birth rate spiked.

What years are millennials?

Millennials, also known as Generation Y, were born between 1981 and 1996, according to Beresford Research. 

Millennial markets:Average millennial owes 10% more on mortgage debt as home prices, interest rates spike

What years are Gen Z?

Members of Gen Z, according to Beresford Research, were born between 1997 and 2012.

Retirement struggles:Gen Z expects to retire by 63 but underestimates how much money it will need to live on

What is the current generation?

According to The Atlantic, the current generation of people being born is Generation Alpha. Generation Alpha is from 2012 to 2024. 

Video game generations:How many Pokémon are there? We counted every generation of Pokémon, including Arceus.

Generational breakdown: info about all of the generations

CGK's Research Informs Global Conversation

AN INTRO TO GENERATIONS

Generations can be confusing. This page is dedicated to answering common questions about generations and to give context to bigger generational conversations on topics such as differences, similarities, and trends in employment, shopping, voting, and more. If we don’t answer your question here, contact us and we’ll do our best to help! Just think of us as your go-to nerd for all things generations.

A generation is a group of people born around the same time and raised around the same place. People in this “birth cohort” exhibit similar characteristics, preferences, and values over their lifetimes. At The Center for Generational Kinetics, we believe that generations are not a box; instead, they are powerful clues showing where to begin connecting with and influencing people of different ages. There are big differences between the generations and it’s important to know the years when each generation begins and ends. We specialize in the relationship between geography and generations. Millennials, for example, are the most consistent generation globally. However, we still see important differences between Millennials raised in an urban environment versus those raised in a rural one or those who move to a new country.

Generations exhibit similar characteristics—such as communication, shopping, and motivation preferences—because they experienced similar trends at approximately the same life stage and through similar channels (e.g., online, TV, mobile, etc.). Generation-shaping trends are most influential as people come of age, which means that members of a particular generation will develop and share similar values, beliefs, and expectations. It is important to remember that at an individual level, everyone is different. But looking at people through a generational lens offers useful predictability for those trying to reach, inform, or persuade a large cross-section of a population.

At CGK, we study generations and their behaviors to identify the following:

  • What shaped each generation
  • The current characteristics, thought processes, expectations, and preferences for each generation
  • Where generations are heading in the near and long-term future

Creating an accurate snapshot of generations, where they come from, where they are now, and where they’re heading helps our team drive results for clients and inform larger conversations around the workforce, marketplace, and social norms. We help our clients with services that focus on the generations to create success and growth. Those services include custom generational research and keynote speaking.

The Center for Generational Kinetics gets to uncover all kinds of new generational trends and truths. It’s exciting stuff! We uncover these findings through original, primary research—now over 100 studies around the world— and by analyzing data provided to us by our client brands, employers, and industries across the globe. We analyze the findings in the context of our own database, publicly available data, and other research studies. Thanks to technology, generations are creating more data than ever before. We use all that information to provide rich insights, strategies, stories, and solutions.

Currently, five generations make up our society. Each of those five generations has an active role in the workforce, marketplace, and communities. Depending on the specific employer, the workforce includes four to five generations. Here are the birth years for each generation:

  • Gen Z, iGen, or Centennials: Born approximately 1996 – 2015
  • Millennials or Gen Y: Born approximately 1977 – 1995
  • Generation X: Born approximately 1965 – 1976
  • Baby Boomers: Born approximately 1946 – 1964
  • Traditionalists or Silent Generation: Born approximately 1945 and before

The reason you see different birth years is two-fold:

  • People who talk about generations have reached different conclusions—and, frankly, a lot of people don’t do actual research, so they’re just guessing.
  • Generation birth years vary by geography, and you’ll see varying characteristics in different parts of the world. The big events that affect a generation can be dramatically different across the globe or at least regionalized or national in scope, and trends can hit at different times.

For example, being a Millennial in Athens, Greece, with its current unemployment situation, can lead to different expectations and behaviors than being a Millennial in Austin, Texas at the exact same time, where the job market is fantastic. The more you focus on one geography and one set of birth years, the more accuracy you’ll find. Click here for how we determine when each generation starts and stops.

The end of the Millennial generation and the start of Gen Z in the United States are closely tied to September 11, 2001. That day marks the number-one generation-defining moment for Millennials. Members of Gen Z—born in 1996 and after—cannot process the significance of 9/11 and it’s always been a part of history for them. CGK is currently conducting research on this newest generation and we will be releasing interesting findings in the near future!

The three key trends that shape generations are parenting, technology, and economics. For example, many Baby Boomers have the parenting philosophy, “We want it to be easier for our kids than it was for us.” This philosophy, in turn, helped create and reinforce Millennials’ sense of entitlement, which is now a hotly debated topic.

In the last two years, Millennials have become the largest generation in the U.S. workforce. Millennials are also the fastest-growing generation of customers in the marketplace, bringing the greatest lifetime value. In addition, Millennials exhibit different attitudes toward employment, sales, and marketing, which are challenging many conventional strategies and approaches. No wonder everyone’s talking about Millennials—but are they really different? How and why are they different? What can employers, marketers, politicians, educators, and parents do? Now Millennials have something to look out for, too: the next generation. Known as Gen Z, Generation Z, iGen, or Centennials, this new group of people is making big waves in all the ways a generation possibly could—including parenting, education, employment, entrepreneurship, sales, marketing, politics, religion, and more. Now Millennials have something to look out for, too: the next generation. Known as Gen Z, Generation Z, iGen, or Centennials, this new group of people is making big waves in all the ways a generation possibly could—including parenting, education, employment, entrepreneurship, sales, marketing, politics, religion, and more.

Subscribe to our e-newsletter, and you’ll get our latest findings in addition to other findings we think are important. You can also read the stories on the State of Gen Z or contact us. We are here to help!

1. What is the definition of a generation?

A generation is a group of people born around the same time and raised around the same place. People in this “birth cohort” exhibit similar characteristics, preferences, and values over their lifetimes. At The Center for Generational Kinetics, we believe that generations are not a box; instead, they are powerful clues showing where to begin connecting with and influencing people of different ages. There are big differences between the generations and it’s important to know the years when each generation begins and ends. We specialize in the relationship between geography and generations. Millennials, for example, are the most consistent generation globally. However, we still see important differences between Millennials raised in an urban environment versus those raised in a rural one or those who move to a new country.

2. What makes generations consistent at a high level?

Generations exhibit similar characteristics—such as communication, shopping, and motivation preferences—because they experienced similar trends at approximately the same life stage and through similar channels (e.g., online, TV, mobile, etc.). Generation-shaping trends are most influential as people come of age, which means that members of a particular generation will develop and share similar values, beliefs, and expectations. It is important to remember that at an individual level, everyone is different. But looking at people through a generational lens offers useful predictability for those trying to reach, inform, or persuade a large cross-section of a population.

3. What does The Center For Generational Kinetics do?

At CGK, we study generations and their behaviors to identify the following:

  • What shaped each generation
  • The current characteristics, thought processes, expectations, and preferences for each generation
  • Where generations are heading in the near and long-term future

Creating an accurate snapshot of generations, where they come from, where they are now, and where they’re heading helps our team drive results for clients and inform larger conversations around the workforce, marketplace, and social norms. We help our clients with services that focus on the generations to create success and growth. Those services include custom generational research and keynote speaking.

4.What makes studying generations interesting and different?

The Center for Generational Kinetics gets to uncover all kinds of new generational trends and truths. It’s exciting stuff! We uncover these findings through original, primary research—now over 100 studies around the world— and by analyzing data provided to us by our client brands, employers, and industries across the globe. We analyze the findings in the context of our own database, publicly available data, and other research studies. Thanks to technology, generations are creating more data than ever before. We use all that information to provide rich insights, strategies, stories, and solutions.

5. What are the primary generations today?

Currently, five generations make up our society. Each of those five generations has an active role in the workforce, marketplace, and communities. Depending on the specific employer, the workforce includes four to five generations. Here are the birth years for each generation:

  • Gen Z, iGen, or Centennials: Born approximately 1996 – 2015
  • Millennials or Gen Y: Born approximately 1977 – 1995
  • Generation X: Born approximately 1965 – 1976
  • Baby Boomers: Born approximately 1946 – 1964
  • Traditionalists or Silent Generation: Born approximately 1945 and before

6. Why do I see different birth years in different places?

The reason you see different birth years is two-fold:

  • People who talk about generations have reached different conclusions—and, frankly, a lot of people don’t do actual research, so they’re just guessing.
  • Generation birth years vary by geography, and you’ll see varying characteristics in different parts of the world. The big events that affect a generation can be dramatically different across the globe or at least regionalized or national in scope, and trends can hit at different times.

For example, being a Millennial in Athens, Greece, with its current unemployment situation, can lead to different expectations and behaviors than being a Millennial in Austin, Texas at the exact same time, where the job market is fantastic. The more you focus on one geography and one set of birth years, the more accuracy you’ll find. Click here for how we determine when each generation starts and stops.

7. What do we know about the newest generation, Gen Z (also known as Generation Z, iGen, and the Centennials)?

The end of the Millennial generationand the start of Gen Z in the United Statesare closely tied to September 11, 2001. That day marks the number-one generation-defining moment for Millennials. Members of Gen Z—born in 1996 and after—cannot process the significance of 9/11 and it’s always been a part of history for them. CGK is currently conducting research on this newest generation and we will be releasing interesting findings in the near future!

The three key trends that shape generations are parenting, technology, and economics. For example, many Baby Boomers have the parenting philosophy, “We want it to be easier for our kids than it was for us.” This philosophy, in turn, helped create and reinforce Millennials’ sense of entitlement, which is now a hotly debated topic.

9. Why are Millennials getting so much attention now?

In the last two years, Millennials have become the largest generation in the U.S. workforce. Millennials are also the fastest-growing generation of customers in the marketplace, bringing the greatest lifetime value. In addition, Millennials exhibit different attitudes toward employment, sales, and marketing, which are challenging many conventional strategies and approaches. No wonder everyone’s talking about Millennials—but are they really different? How and why are they different? What can employers, marketers, politicians, educators, and parents do?
Now Millennials have something to look out for, too: the next generation. Known as Gen Z, Generation Z, iGen, or Centennials, this new group of people is making big waves in all the ways a generation possibly could—including parenting, education, employment, entrepreneurship, sales, marketing, politics, religion, and more.
Now Millennials have something to look out for, too: the next generation. Known as Gen Z, Generation Z, iGen, or Centennials, this new group of people is making big waves in all the ways a generation possibly could—including parenting, education, employment, entrepreneurship, sales, marketing, politics, religion, and more.

10. Where can I get the latest generational research?

Subscribe to our e-newsletter, and you’ll get our latest findings in addition to other findings we think are important. You can also read the stories on the State of Gen Z or contact us. We are here to help!

How do i know what generation i am

How do i know what generation i am

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What are the 6 generations?

Generation Names and Dates.
The Greatest Generation (GI Generation): Born 1901–1924..
The Silent Generation: Born 1928–1945..
Baby Boom Generation: Born 1946–1964..
Generation X: Born 1965–1980..
Millennial Generation or Generation Y: Born 1981–1996..
Generation Z or iGen: Born 1997–2010..

Are you Gen Z or millennial?

As you may think, defining the two generations is based entirely on dates—in this case, years. A Millennial is anyone born between 1980 and 1995. In the U.S., there are roughly 80 million Millennials. A member of Gen Z is anyone born between 1996 and the early-mid 2000s (end date can vary depending on source).

What generation Am I in my family?

Counting generations All of your siblings and cousins form one generation. Your parents and their siblings form the next generation. Your grandparents and their siblings make up a third.