The term “millennials” is coined by Neil Howe and William Strauss who wrote the 1991 book Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069. Howe and Strauss are among the first ones to consider the idea that people who grew up at a certain time period share similar traits, behaviors, beliefs, values, and perceptions.
What is the Millennial Generation?
Millennials are the demographic group composed of individuals that are born between 1982 and 2004, according to Howe and Strauss. They are the generation that immediately follows the Generation X.
However, the Time magazine asserts that millennials are born between 1980 to 2000, while the New York Times reported in two separate articles that this generation consists of individuals born between 1976-1990 and 1978-1998. There are many other proposed years when millennials are born, but overall, the earliest proposed year is 1976 and the latest is 2004.
What are the Other Terms That Refer to the Millennial Generation?
Aside from the term “millennials”, there are also other names that refer to people who were born between the abovementioned time periods. Some of these terms include:
- Generation Y or Gen Y
- Digital Natives- because millennials are the first generation who are accustomed to the life with personal technological devices and internet.
- Echo boomers- They are the kids of Boomers and they make up the biggest generation since their parents.
Final Notes About Millennials
As mentioned earlier, this generation grew up in an increasingly techy and connected world. At present, millennials are the ones who receive the most marketing attention.
Compared to other generations, millennials are more optimistic and confident. However, some argue that in some cases, this confidence turns into narcissism and feelings of entitlement. Furthermore, they are also known for frequent job hopping—moving from one job to another to see what works better for them—as opposed to members of older generations who tend to stay in one company for an extended period of time.