eNews – Generational Names

What Are They and What Do They Mean?

by Janae Lovern, Director, International Field, Director of Conference Operations

As a child growing up in the 1990s, there was a lot of information thrown at us very quickly as technology “grew up” with us. I remember being in second grade, sitting on a round rug on the carpet in the center of the room filled with computers, learning to memorize the web address to access the “World Wide Web”… by reciting one letter and symbol at a time.  “https://www.website.com” will forever be programmed into my mind next to old home phone numbers, the dial-up connection sound, and the 5th-grade home address that I have not lived in for over 30 years!

However, one thing that I never learned or noticed as a kid was the “generational” names for those who lived in the years before, during, or after my birth year. How and why these terms became a part of our societal identity is a mystery to me, but living in a world that uses these as if they belong on a “Hi, My Name is ______” shirt label, it’s probably a good idea for us to be familiar with what they are and what they mean.

In full transparency, I had to look up the term “Millennial” in the early 2000s to find out what it meant and whether I was indeed labeled with this word. Turns out…I am. Why the generation letters started with “X” I’ll never know (without a Google search). Who decides these things? And, how does one get that job?  I’m asking for a friend, of course…. 😉

Have you ever hoped for a “cheat sheet” to familiarize yourself with the Generational names and which years those generations represent? If so, you’ve come to the right place! If not…well…we can still tackle this list together!  

1901 – 1927: The Greatest Generation/G.I. Generation

1928 – 1945: The Silent Generation

1946 – 1964: Baby Boomers

1965 – 1980: Generation X (Gen X)

1981 – 1996: Millennials (Generation Y)

1997 – 2012: Generation Z (Gen Z)

2013 – 2025: Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha)

2025 – 2039 (projected): Generation Beta (Gen Beta)

It seems that each generation is shaped by major historical events, technological advancements, and cultural shifts. While “Gen Z-ers” are known as digital natives, and Millennials grew up with the internet, the Greatest Generation lived through a world war, and the Silent Generation (also living through War and Depression) showed the generations after them what it means to be resilient and appreciate tradition. It is important for us as followers of Christ to remember that, while the world may label us each in separate categories by our birth years, we know where our True Identity comes from, and that is from Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. While I’ve become familiar, and oddly proud, to be a “millennial,”…there is no comparison to the joy I find in being called a “Child of the King” or “Servant of Christ.” Letters and historical facts may make up a generational label on this side of Heaven, but Praise God that we can rejoice in knowing that we are most importantly called: “Generation- Eternal” or “Generation- Kingdom.”

So, let’s work together to build bridges between these generations so that we live as Paul hoped by counting others (including other generations) more significant than ourselves.  “complete my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in Spirit and of one mind” (Philippians 2:2)