If you’ve heard the terms Baby Boomers, Millennials, and Gens X, Z and Alpha, but aren’t quite sure who fits where, here’s a handy guide to the generations through the ages.
The Greatest Generation: Born 1910-1924
Formative Events: Great Depression, World War II
The Greatest Generation were weaned on their parents’ losses in the First World War, yet still volunteered in the tens of thousands to fight in the second. In 2015, the Department of Veterans Affairs reported 28,388 WWII veterans left. While this generation’s numbers are dwindling, their achievements remain strong.
The Silent Generation: Born 1925-1945
Formative events: Korean War, Cold War, JFK and Martin Luther King Jr. assassinations
Aussie icons: Bert Newton, Dame Edna, Little Patty
First named by Time magazine – an American publication – for their lack of going against government, the Silent Generation was often referred to as the “Builder Generation” by Australians. As young adults, they would “rebuild” the nation post-WWII.
Baby Boomers: Born 1946-1964
Formative events: Vietnam War, Moon Landing, Indigenous Australians’ right to vote
Aussie icons: John Farnham, Helen Reddy, Jacki Weaver, Paul Hogan, Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
Famously the largest generation (before Millennials snagged the title) due to the increased birth rate throughout the post-WWII economic boom, Baby Boomers reached peak numbers in 1999. They were previously known as Flower Children, protesting Australian involvement in the Vietnam War.
Generation X: Born 1965-1979
Formative events: Aids crisis, Princess Diana, MTV/ music videos
Aussie icons: Kylie Minogue, INXS, Tina Arena, Silverchair
Seen as the “middle child”, squeezed between two large generations, Business Australia said that Gen X watched their parents (The Silent Generation) work hard and remain loyal to one company, “only to be miserable and unsatisfied.” This motivated Gen Xers to seek a healthy balance between work and play. Also known as the Grunge generation, and the Latchkey generation.
Millennials: Born 1980-1994
Formative events: 9/11, Kevin ‘07, rise of home computers
Aussie Icons: Hilltop Hoods, Bardot, Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy
The 2017 census counted 6.42 million Millennials, forming a large chunk of the population. Contrary to popular belief, Millennials are not named for being born before the turn of the millennium, but for being the youngest generation old enough to remember it. They are known for being technology literate, social media savvy, and adaptive to change. This may explain the current social bickering between Millennials and Generation Z, the first generation of “tech natives”.
Generation Z: Born 1995-2012
Formative events: Rise of smartphones, social media, LGBTQ+ marriage equality
Aussie icons: Troye Sivan, Thelma Plum, Sia
The first generation to not remember a time without the internet, younger Gen Z’s will also not remember a time without smartphones or social media. Gen Z is the youngest generation to experience online schooling, “influencer” culture, and juggernaut social media movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter.
Generation Alpha: Born 2013-2025
Formative events: COVID-19 pandemic
The babies being born today will have the most technology at their disposal and will be the first generation born entirely in the 21st century. The COVID-19 pandemic will likely have a heavy influence on their upbringing. The name ‘Generation Alpha’ refers to restarting the alphabet.
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