Which gen are you 👧, your mom 👩, and your grandmom 👵🏻?
Who came before Boomers? What’s the ‘X’ in Gen X? Why’s Gen Z built different? Here’s your no-cap guide 📱 to every named generation so far
The OGs: Lost (1883–1900), Greatest (1901–1927) & Silent (1928–1945) 🕰️🎖️
The Lost Generation? First gang to get a label. First to grow up in the 1900s. And first to get hit by a World War in 1914, right as they became adults. The label stuck because the war shattered their ties to tradition, leaving them disillusioned in a world that felt broken.
The Greatest Generation? Tough crew. The Great Depression in the '30s wrecked banks, killed jobs, and left people lining up for bread. Then came World War II. Survival was the only vibe, no cap. And somehow, they still cooked up jazz, swing, and hustle culture before hustle was even a word.
Born between wars, the Silent Generation came of age during the Cold War — a no-chill Team US vs Team USSR standoff with nukes on standby. They kept quiet, followed the rules, raised their kids old-school, and left the drama for future generations.
The rebels & realists: Baby boomers (1946–1964) & Gen X (1965–1980) ☮️📼
Baby Boomers weren’t always your Facebook-commenting uncles and aunts. They were the OGs of rebellion — protesting wars, kicking off the hippie movement, and vibing to vinyl records (giant old-school music discs). They’re called Boomers because there was literally a baby boom after soldiers came home from World War II. They flipped parenting by actually caring about how kids felt — a big deal back then. Still old-school at heart, they love TV, newspapers, radio, and walking into banks like it’s 1995.
Then came Gen X1 — the original latchkey kids. While their parents worked, they came home to empty houses, MTV, and dial-up internet that took 3 minutes to load a page. They watched the Cold War end, the Berlin Wall fall, and personal tech like home computers, mobile phones, and video games blow up. They’re practical, loyal, and quietly keeping things together while Boomers retire and Millennials hustle.
The Wi-Fi warriors: Millennials (1981–1996) 📱💼
Millennials or Gen Y remember when phones had Snake (a simple game on old Nokia phones), not screen-time limits. They lived through 9/11, the Great Recession, and the rise of the internet. Now in their 30s and 40s, they’re running the workforce — while drowning in debt and delaying major life milestones like marriage and kids.
This generation ditched cable for streaming, desktops for phones, and brand loyalty for whatever’s better. They believe in gentle parenting (less yelling, more explaining), and yep — some of their toddlers were on Instagram before they could walk.
The always-on crew: Gen Z (1997–2010) 📳🔥
Gen Z was born with smartphones in hand and grew up in a world of nonstop global chaos — climate anxiety, political protests, pandemics, and endless content. But they also built online communities, created meme culture, and made it normal to call out the world’s BS2.
Money-wise, they’re careful. Credit cards? Nah. Debit cards and savings apps, please. Most are learning personal finance way earlier than Millennials did, and they actually care about where their money goes — brands, sustainability, ethics, all of it.
They’re also the most mental health-aware generation ever. Therapy isn’t taboo, and words like anxiety, burnout, and boundaries are just part of everyday convo.
The future squad: Gen Alpha (2011–2024) & Gen Beta (2025–2039) 🧠🤖
Gen Alpha is growing up in homes where iPads are toys and smart speakers are babysitters. They’re the first fully post-pandemic generation, used to masks, online classes, and stories from grandparents on video calls.
Cash? What’s that? Their first “money” will probably be an in-app purchase or a UPI transfer for snacks. They’re expected to be the most educated, richest, and tech-immersed generation ever. The tradeoff? Constant screen time, hyper-personalised ads, and TikTok-length attention spans.
But they’re insanely adaptable — most will probably learn coding before cursive.
And then there’s Gen Beta. Not much is known yet, but one safe bet: AI tutors, robot pets, and social media built into their smart glasses.
Their world? Still buffering.
Gen X got their name because no one knew what box to put them in — the 'X' meant unknown.
BS is short for bullshit.