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Definition: people generations


Following are the names coined for people generations based on the year they were born and how they relate to electronic technologies. Of course, there are differing opinions regarding the dates.

Baby Boomers: 1946-1964
More than 76 million baby boomers were born between 1946 and 1964 in the U.S. Older baby boomers were raised without desktop computers, and many born in the earlier years did not even have TVs as children.

Generation X: 1965-1980
The name was coined as a result of a study of young people's attitudes in England in 1964 by Jane Deverson. The gen X period saw the rise of hippies and countercultures across the Western world. By the time older gen-X'ers became teenagers, the personal computer revolution had begun.

Generation Y/Millennials: 1981-1996
In Western cultures, gen Y'ers, or "Millennials," were brought up in the age of personal computers and electronic gadgets.

Generation Z: 1997-2012
Also called the "Net Generation," these individuals were exposed as children to the Internet along with wireless, mobile and social networking technologies. Gen Z'ers generally take electronic wizardry for granted.

Generation Alpha: 2013-2020s
Also called the "iPhone Generation," these are people who cannot live without smartphones glued to their hands all day. See nomophobia.

Yet Another Enumeration
The following names have been given to these timeframes, which overlap with the above:

   Greatest     1910-1924

   Silent       1925-1945

   Baby boom    1946-1964

   Baby bust    1965-1979

   Xennials     1975-1981

   Millennials  1981-1994

   Z            1995-2012

   Alpha        2013-