Generation names and years in order consist of seven living generations from Greatest to Gen Alpha. These eras are based on their birth years and names.
America's generational timeline is broken down by experts as per the name and year. They also provide insight into the personalities and characteristics of each age.
A generation is defined as a group of people born at roughly the same time. As per Deborah Carr, Ph.D., professor and chair of the sociology department of Boston University usually, people in the cohort are grouped by a 20-year time interval.
Today we are zeroing in on the seven generations' names and meanings along with how their experiences shaped them from Greatest to Generation Alpha.
The Greatest Generation (1901-1924)
Generation names and years in order start with the Greatest Generation. This era refers to Americans born in 1924 or earlier.
They are the representatives of the majority of soldiers in World War. People in this group may be between the ages of 99 and 121 today. These aged group people are the parents of the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers.
The term G.I. Generation was first used in 1971 by Alberto M. Camarillo in an article for the academic journal. After that, it was popularized by the title of a 1998 book by Tom Brokaw who is an American journalist.
There are characteristics of different generations as per their uniqueness. This generation is often classified as having experienced economic and social disorders that shaped their values. Some of the characteristics of this generation are:
- Relationships with people
- Great Depression and World War II
- Respect for Authority
- Value of responsibility
- Patriotic
- Having a strong work ethic
- Motivated and shows a high rate of dedication
- Committed and loyal
The Silent Generation (1925-1945)
The Silent Generation is also known as the Traditionalist Generation. It is the era identified by the people born from 1925-1945.
The term Silent Generation is known by a 1951 Time Magazine article. This group of people helped shape 20th-century pop culture, by introducing rock musicians, television legends, gonzo journalists, iconic filmmakers, and many more. As of 2019, there were 23 million people of this generation alive in the United States as per the U.S. Census data.
The Silent Generation prospered in an era of economic expansion by working hard. They were renowned for having a strong work ethic, a desire for stability, and upholding a sense of conformity.
As per the Britannica, the youngest silents grew up experiencing the economic hardships of the Great Depression and witnessed the upheaval and challenges of World War II. Currently, people of this generation may be around 78- 95 years old.
Some of the silent generation characteristics are:
- Interpersonal respect
- Work ethic
- Self-sacrifice
- Determination and Dedication
- Traditional values and culture
- Flexibility
- Builder Traits
The Baby Boomers Generation (1946-1964)
Baby Boomers are the demographic group following the Silent Generation and preceding Generation X. This generation is defined as people born between 1946 and 1964.
Most of the baby boomers are the children of either the Greatest Generation or the Silent Generation and are the parents of Millennials and Gen X.
The term baby boom is known as the noticeable increase in the birth rate after World War 2, after which the soldiers returned home and started their families. Boomers belong to the age range between 58 and 76.
The baby boomers' characteristics are:
- Goal-oriented
- Focus on personal fulfillment
- Eagerness for change and development
- Have gained experienced
- Shaped society and the social context
- The desire for Equality
Generation X (1965-1980)
Generation X is the demographic group following the baby boomers. They are described as people born between 1965-1980.
As of 2019 U.S. Census data, there are 65.2 million Xers in the United States. Most of the members of this group are the children of the Silent Generation and early boomers. Meanwhile, they are often the guardians of Millennials and Generation Z.
The photographer Robert Capa first used the term, Generation X. After World War II he used it to narrate a certain attitude, outlook, and mentality of young people. Later on, Canadian author Douglas Coupland made this term renowned through his 1991 novel.
Many got property ownership in their era. They also benefited from the economic prosperity. They experienced and introduced small businesses and entrepreneurial opportunities.
This era is the most relevant of modern times, in relation to technology, and serves almost as a bridge from older populations to the younger ones. This population has created many of these advances including video games, artificial intelligence, movies, and many more.
The characteristics of Generation X are mentioned below:
- Independent
- Balance in work-life
- Talented in Technology
- Resourceful
- Ambitious and Eager to learn new skills
- Create and enjoy creative input and resourceful
- Value diversity, responsibilities, and challenges
- Master of self-depreciation.
Millennials (1981-1996)
Millennials are also known as Generation Y and were born between 1981-1996.
At a time of the decline in fertility rates around the world, millennials were born and are now having fewer children than their ancestors. Millennials grew up in the Internet age and were the first global generation.
The people of this group are also considered familiar with the Internet, social media, and electronic devices.
Some of the characteristics of this generation are:
- Entrepreneurial
- The craze to keep on learning new things
- Expect collaboration and understanding from others
- Engage in social activism
- Better educated and more familiar than previous generations.
Generation Z (1997-2012)
Generation Z is commonly known as Zoomers. They are the new generation after the Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha.
This generation was born in the mid-1990s and the early 2010s. The people from this era are children of Generation X. The effect of the economy has been known by this age group as being shaped by COVID-19.
The people of this era focus on education and recognize the importance of it in their future development. They focus on values, fulfillment, and making a difference in their life. In this competitive world, they know that they should be extraordinary with qualities of skills and also can't depend on one job for stability.
The enrollment rates in colleges and schools are high for this generation. The majority of the people of this group live in metropolitan areas and western states. These people are more concerned with academic performance than older ones.
They are the first social age group to have grown up with access to the Internet and digital technology.
Like other generations, this generation also has unique characteristics and they are given below:
- They are money-driven and ambitious
- Politically and socially aware
- Racially and Ethnically diverse
- Engage mostly in social activism
- Digital natives.
Generation Alpha (2013-2025)
Generation Alpha is the latest generation after Generation Z. The early 2010s is used by experts as the starting birth year and the early-to-mid 2020s as the ending birth year.
Members of these generations are mostly children of Millennials. The reason behind the name Generation Alpha is because they are not a return to the old, but the start of something new.
This name was first introduced in a 2008 survey by the Australian consulting agency McCrindle Research. This age group is the first generation to be fully born in the 21st century. Technology has shaped them as many devices and media platforms were launched when they were born. This generation has experienced changes in the use of technology in classrooms and other aspects of their life.
The Gen Alpha age range is from 0-10 years old. While many are still infants.
Gen alpha characteristics are mentioned below:
- Spending more time online
- AI is their reality
- Learning is personalized
- They live in the moment
- Individuality and diversity