What’s Your Generation and What Does It Mean?

A generation is a group of people who were born around the same time. Usually, they share a 20-year time span, but what really makes them a generation is that they go through some big events and changes together, and that shapes their lives, says Deborah Carr, Ph.D., a sociology professor at Boston University and author of Golden Years? Social Inequalities in Later Life.

There are different ways to name and date generations, but one of the most popular ones was made by authors Neil Howe and William Strauss. Another one comes from the Pew Research Center, which is a group that studies the world and how people think and act.

The Greatest Generation (GI Generation): Born 1901–1927
These are the people who survived the Great Depression, which was a time when many people were poor and hungry. Then they fought in World War II, which was a huge war that involved many countries. They also loved jazz and swing music, which were new and exciting styles back then. They worked hard and didn’t give up easily.

The Silent Generation: Born 1928–1945
These are the people who grew up when there was a lot of fear and suspicion about Communism, which was a political system that some countries had. They didn’t speak up much or challenge the authorities. They learned to work hard and earn their way in life.

Baby Boom Generation: Born 1946–1964
Gen Z might think of Baby Boomers as their old-fashioned grandparents who don’t get them, but they used to be pretty wild when they were young. They got their name because there were a lot of babies born after World War II ended. Baby Boomers rebelled against their parents, protested against the Vietnam War, which was another big war that many people didn’t agree with, and had the “Summer of Love”, which was a time when they experimented with drugs and sex.

Baby Boomer parents also changed how they raised their kids. They tried to understand what their kids were going through and listen to their opinions.

Generation X: Born 1965–1980
These are the people who are often called slackers, which means lazy or unmotivated. But they actually had to deal with some serious stuff, like the AIDS epidemic, which was a disease that killed many people and had no cure. They also saw the rise of MTV culture, which was a channel that played music videos and influenced fashion and trends. They also witnessed some big changes in society, like more rights for LGBTQ+ people.

Generation X parents were the first ones to use helicopter parenting styles. That means they were very involved in their kids’ lives and always watched over them. They didn’t let their kids play outside by themselves or make their own decisions.

Millennial Generation or Generation Y: Born 1981–1996
Millennials remember when 9/11 happened, which was a terrorist attack that shocked the world. They also remember when Amazon only sold books, which is hard to imagine now. They are also the first generation to grow up with and without the internet, which is now a big part of their lives.

Baby Boomers might think Millennials are selfish and spoiled because they use technology a lot, but they are actually very caring and aware of the world. They care about the environment and the community, and they pass on these values to their kids.

Generation Z or iGen: Born 1997–2010
These are the kids who are still growing up and finding their way in the world. They are the first ones to be born into a world where they are always connected to each other through phones, screens, and tablets.

Generation Alpha: Born After 2010
These are the youngest kids who haven’t made much impact yet, but they will soon. They are the first ones to be born into a world where social media is everywhere, and they know how to use technology better than anyone else. That can be a powerful tool to make positive changes in the world.

They are also facing some new challenges: They were born during or after the COVID-19 pandemic, which was a global health crisis that changed everything. They are more diverse than any other generation, which means they have different backgrounds and identities. And they are more likely to live with only one parent.

Every generation is different because of what they experience and how they react to it. But they also have something in common: They want to make the world a better place for themselves and others. And parents have an important role in helping them do that.

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