# The names of various generations. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 16, 2003, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-names-of-various-generations/195563 "2003-08-16T08:28:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-names-of-various-generations/195563/1 "2003-08-16T08:28:56Z")
Three questions: 1. OK, WWII ended in 1945, so the oldest a baby boomer can be is 58. What’s the youngest a baby boomer can be? 2. What’s the age range of Generation Xers? And finally 3. What is the age range of Generation Y? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-names-of-various-generations/195563/2 "2003-08-16T09:50:44Z")
Check out [this site](http://www.timepage.org/time.html) which is based on a book called _Generations_ by Strauss and Howe. Much information available to answer your questions. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-names-of-various-generations/195563/3 "2003-08-16T10:24:39Z")
Isn’t a “generation” subjective and relative? From [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) “A group of generally contemporaneous individuals regarded as having common cultural or social characteristics and attitudes”. Math is not really involved, it’s more of an identity issue rather than a strict “birthdate club” kind of thing. A similar question might be, when, exactly did disco die…day and year? Very subjective. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-names-of-various-generations/195563/4 "2003-08-16T16:13:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zeldar \* > \*\*Check out [this site](http://www.timepage.org/time.html) which is based on a book called _Generations_ by Strauss and Howe. Much information available to answer your questions. \*\* Thanks, I’ll check it out. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-names-of-various-generations/195563/5 "2003-08-16T16:15:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dnooman \* > \*\*Isn’t a “generation” subjective and relative? > > From [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) “A group of generally contemporaneous individuals regarded as having common cultural or social characteristics and attitudes”. > > Math is not really involved, it’s more of an identity issue rather than a strict “birthdate club” kind of thing. A similar question might be, when, exactly did disco die…day and year? Very subjective. \*\* The terms **Baby Boomers** , **Generation X** , and **Generation Y** exist. And they reference people of a certain age range. I just wanted to know what those age ranges are, that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-names-of-various-generations/195563/6 "2003-08-16T17:05:35Z")
Not everyone agrees that this is the best definition, but the Census Bureau’s the definition is that people born between 1946 and 1964 are part of the baby boom. See, for example, [this Census Bureau page](http://www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/nattrend.html), which also has a graph of birth rates and the absolute number of birts over time. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-names-of-various-generations/195563/7 "2003-08-16T17:08:33Z")
Cool, thanks.