Generations are cohorts of people born within a shared span of years, thought to be shaped by common formative experiences. This labeler maps a birth year to its generation using the widely cited ranges from the Pew Research Center: the Silent Generation (1928–1945), Baby Boomers (1946–1964), Generation X (1965–1980), Millennials or Gen Y (1981–1996), Generation Z (1997–2012), and Generation Alpha (2013 onward). It also notes the Greatest Generation before 1928 and the emerging Generation Beta from the mid-2020s. Keep in mind these boundaries are conventions rather than hard facts — different outlets draw the lines a year or two apart, and people born near a cutoff (sometimes called "cuspers," like Xennials between Gen X and Millennials) may identify with either side. The tool also shows the approximate age the birth year reaches in 2026.

How it works — the formula

Match birth year to Pew ranges:
Silent 1928–45 · Boomer 1946–64 · Gen X 1965–80 ·
Millennial 1981–96 · Gen Z 1997–2012 · Gen Alpha 2013–24

Each generation is a fixed band of birth years; the birth year is matched to its band.

Source: Pew Research Center — Where Millennials end and Gen Z begins

Worked examples

Example 1

1990

Inputs:: year=1990
Output:: Millennials (1981–1996)

Example 2

1970

Inputs:: year=1970
Output:: Generation X (1965–1980)

Example 3

2005

Inputs:: year=2005
Output:: Generation Z (1997–2012)

Limitations

Boundaries are conventions; sources differ by a year or two.
Only the Boomer range is formally defined by the U.S. Census.
Cuspers near boundaries may identify with either generation.

Generation labels are broad generalizations, not deterministic categories.

Frequently asked

What years are Millennials?+

Per Pew Research, Millennials (Generation Y) were born from 1981 to 1996. Someone born in 1990 is squarely a Millennial. Adjacent cohorts are Generation X before them and Generation Z after.

When does Gen Z start and end?+

Pew defines Generation Z as those born from 1997 to 2012. The following cohort, Generation Alpha, begins in 2013. As with all generation lines, a year or two of variation exists between sources.

Are these generation ranges official?+

There is no single official authority, but the Pew Research Center’s ranges — used here — are the most widely cited in journalism and research. The U.S. Census Bureau has formally defined only the Baby Boomer cohort (1946–1964).

What is a "cusper"?+

A cusper is someone born near the boundary between two generations who may relate to both. "Xennials," for example, sit between Generation X and Millennials (roughly the late 1970s to early 1980s), sharing traits of each.

What comes after Generation Alpha?+

Generation Beta is the proposed name for the cohort beginning around 2025. Naming and exact start years for future generations are still being settled and may shift as the cohort grows up.

Why do generations matter?+

Grouping people by birth era helps researchers and marketers discuss shared formative experiences — economic conditions, technology, world events. The labels are useful shorthand but broad generalizations; individuals within a generation vary enormously.