A 12-year-old (as of early 2026) falls squarely into Generation Alpha, the cohort born from around 2010/2012 to 2024, known as the first generation born entirely in the 21st century, deeply immersed in technology and screens from birth. They are the younger siblings or children of Millennials, following Generation Z (born roughly 1995-2009).
Generation Z refers to people born between 1996 and 2010. They're the second-youngest generation, between millennials and Generation Alpha. Gen Z identity has been shaped by the digital age, climate anxiety, a shifting financial landscape, and COVID-19.
Gen Z: Gen Z is the newest generation, born between 1997 and 2012. They are currently between 13 and 28 years old (nearly 69 million in the U.S.)
The four most commonly discussed generations today, moving from oldest to youngest, are Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), Millennials (Gen Y, 1981-1996), and Generation Z (1997-2012), with the newer Generation Alpha (2010s-mid-2020s) following Gen Z, all defined by distinct cultural and technological experiences shaping their values and behaviors.
The seven common generations, with their generally accepted birth year ranges (though slight variations exist), are: The Greatest Generation (1901-1927), Silent Generation (1928-1945), Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), Generation Z (Zoomers) (1997-2012), and Generation Alpha (2013-2024), with the emerging Generation Beta starting in 2025. These cohorts are defined by shared cultural experiences, technological exposure, and historical events.
Across much of the world, it is no longer middle-aged adults who are the most miserable. Instead, young people, especially Gen Z, are reporting the highest levels of unhappiness of any age group.
The Silent Generation (born roughly 1928-1945) is called "silent" because they were raised during tough times (Great Depression, WWII) and matured during the conformity-driven, anti-communist McCarthy era, leading them to be more traditional, cautious, and less rebellious than previous or subsequent generations, preferring to work within the system rather than challenge it. The name was coined in a 1951 Time magazine article highlighting their quiet, conformist nature compared to their "flaming youth" parents, emphasizing their desire to be seen and not heard.
Millennials are the most educated generation in U.S. history—yet many are still financially behind. Nearly 40% hold a bachelor's degree, but they earn about 20% less than baby boomers did at the same age, even after adjusting for inflation.
Donald Trump is a Baby Boomer, born on June 14, 1946, making him one of the first in that generation, which typically spans 1946-1964; the Silent Generation precedes this, generally from 1925-1945, with President Joe Biden representing the latter. While Trump shares some traits with the broader Boomer demographic, his formative experiences as a wealthy individual diverged from many of his peers, though he later became a significant political figure for many in the generation.
Yes, "Gen Zers" (or "Gen Z-ers") is a correct and widely used informal term for people in Generation Z, following the pattern of "Gen Xers" and "Millennials" (Gen Yers), though "Zoomers" is also a popular alternative, and "members of Gen Z" is more formal.
Whilst boomers and millennials may use the 😂 emoji, this has long since been deemed 'uncool' (or 'cheugy') by Gen Z. Instead, this has been replaced by the skull (💀) or the crying emoji (😭), dramatising the idea of 'dying with laughter'.
Simply put, Generation Alpha are defined as those born from 2010-2024. More than 2.8 million are born globally every week.
The Gen Z stare is a generally pejorative phrase coined by social media users to describe a "blank stare that members of younger generations give in situations where a verbal response would be more common" or appropriate.
Bae – Boyfriend or girlfriend.
While other cohorts (e.g., Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Generation Z) are defined by age brackets, Gen C is defined by its members' digital-first lifestyle and mindset. So whether someone is 10 or 82 years old, they can still be a part of Gen C.
Recent research shows that members of the Baby Boomer generation have worse health than previous generations did at the same ages—diabetes, heart disease and other chronic illnesses are more common.
There's no single "toughest" generation, as each faces unique struggles, but Generation X (born 1965-1980) is often cited as the most stressed due to balancing work, family, and finances while facing economic uncertainty, yet they also show high resilience, while younger generations like Gen Z grapple with unprecedented housing costs and climate anxiety, making the definition of "tough" subjective and dependent on the specific challenges faced.
While he's well known for his philanthropy today, Bill Gates first cemented his position on any “most influential baby boomers” list in 1975 when he launched Microsoft.
Even with such hypothesis, the participants from the newer generation (gen-z) outscored their predecessors by almost 2 IQ points.
Financial struggles are nothing new, but some generations feel the squeeze more than others when it comes to their finances. A study by Credit One Bank found that 35% of Gen X and 33% of millennials feel worse off than their parents, far more than the 19% of baby boomers and 17% of Gen Z who say the same.
Slowly but surely, Generation Xers have been taking over from Baby Boomers as the majority of parents in elementary and secondary education. In the early 1990s, Gen Xers began joining parent-teacher associations in the nation's elementary schools.
Bush), and four presidents have been Baby Boomers (Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump); two presidents were members of the Lost Generation (Harry S. Truman; and Dwight D. Eisenhower), only one President, Joe Biden, has been a member of the Silent Generation.
In contrast, Millennials's resentment toward Baby Boomers is driven primarily by practical concerns over their life prospects (i.e., realistic threat). Identifying the causes of intergenerational tensions also begs the question of how these tensions may be alleviated.