Who are Millennials, Baby Boomers and Generation Z? Generation groups explained

MANY people use titles like millennials and baby boomers to refer to various generations, and it can be confusing to decipher exactly what age group they’re talking about.

Although there’s no official agreement on the exact year each generation begins, here is a rough guide to when each one starts and finishes – so that you can find out where you fit in.

What are baby boomers?

Following World War II, there was a “baby boom”, which gives this generation their nickname.

The increased birth rates make them a large portion of the population, and they are typically born between the early to mid 1940s, to 1960 – 1964.

They benefited from a time of increasing affluence and higher levels of income than their parents, and a surge in consumerism, enjoying more money to spend on food, clothes, and holidays.

What is Generation X?

Following the baby boomers, Generation X are born between the early-to-mid 1960s, and the early 1980s.

Culturally, Generation X saw the rise of musical genres such as grunge and hip-hop, as well as indie films.

They are sometimes called the “MTV Generation”, as they experienced the emergence of music videos, and the MTV channel.

What are millennials?

This is the term that most people recognise the most, commonly associated with avocado on toast, and ‘snowflake’ culture.

They are born between 1980 or the months before to the mid 1990s or early 2000s, so many young adults nowadays would define themselves as millennials.

The generation was severely impacted by recession, as it caused record unemployment, affecting young people joining the workplace, as well as a period of economic instability.

What is Generation Z?

There is a slight overlap between millennials and Generation Z, as Generation Z are said to be born between the mid 1990s to mid 2000s.

They are mainly the children of Generation X, but could have parents that are millennials.

As they have had the internet from a young age, Generation Z tend to be knowledgeable of technology and social media.