I was born in 1990 and I'd say anyone born from about 1981 to about 1996 is broadly speaking, my own generation. Whatever you might classify as the Millennial generation, that span of birth dates is more or less what I feel pretty close to.

I'd say if your memory of the 80s is limited or non-existent, but you can still remember 9/11, Y2K and a world before the Internet became high speed and totally took over I was more or less born into the same world as you.

What about you? What year were you born in and what is your rationale for your definition of your 'personal generation'?

mid-1986:

The personal generation of mine would be my peer group so those born from mid-1985 to mid-1987. We basically have the same childhood memories.

Comfortable age group: 1982-1990

Generation in wider context: 1981-1991.

When it comes to age gaps of +5 years, so more than half of a decade, than there are certainly big differences. I don't think I have that much in common with those born in the 70's or early/mid 90's.

Everyone will have a different opinion on this. Depends on the individual.
I'd say anyone born 2 years before or after me is my same generation, similar childhood memories.  I woudl have said this in my 20s.  As I'm getting older now, the range increases a little, a couple of more years either way. 

mid-1986:

The personal generation of mine would be my peer group so those born from mid-1985 to mid-1987. We basically have the same childhood memories.

Comfortable age group: 1982-1990

Generation in wider context: 1981-1991.

When it comes to age gaps of +5 years, so more than half of a decade, than there are certainly big differences. I don't think I have that much in common with those born in the 70's or early/mid 90's.


I lean towards this. We have lived in such a fast moving, abbreviated pop culture for the last several decades that only people born within a few years of you either way are going to have had extremely similar experiences growing up. Like how my specific childhood experiences (no internet, Saturday morning cartoons still being a big deal, being transitional between 2D and 3D gaming, seeing the rise and fall of Pogs, and being the right age to get into the 90's kid trifecta of TMNT, Power Rangers and Pokemon) seems to really only apply to people born in the late 80's. Anybody outside of that was either too old for some of that stuff, or too young for it.

I lean towards this. We have lived in such a fast moving, abbreviated pop culture for the last several decades that only people born within a few years of you either way are going to have had extremely similar experiences growing up. Like how my specific childhood experiences (no internet, Saturday morning cartoons still being a big deal, being transitional between 2D and 3D gaming, seeing the rise and fall of Pogs, and being the right age to get into the 90's kid trifecta of TMNT, Power Rangers and Pokemon) seems to really only apply to people born in the late 80's. Anybody outside of that was either too old for some of that stuff, or too young for it.


I see a generation as being a broader thing than just a couple years. I think whether you watched TMNT, Pokemon or Digimon isn't really a huge deal, what would be a big deal and a generational difference would be if you grew up watching cable TV vs only saturday morning cartoons, or if you grew up surfing YouTube instead of watching cable TV.

But - then again - the idea of a generation is very vague to begin with. From a biological perspective, we're talking thirty years!

If minor differences in pop cultural experiences 'aren't' a big deal, why are we always talking about divisions of decades into their early/mid/late parts. If everything was so similar, we could just stop discussing things like 'why the early 90's were better than the mids...'...

I definetly see generational differences if somebody grew-up in the early 90's or if somebody grew-up in the late 90's (early-mid 80's born vs. late 80's/early 90's born).

If minor differences in pop cultural experiences 'aren't' a big deal, why are we always talking about divisions of decades into their early/mid/late parts. If everything was so similar, we could just stop discussing things like 'why the early 90's were better than the mids...'...

I definetly see generational differences if somebody grew-up in the early 90's or if somebody grew-up in the late 90's (early-mid 80's born vs. late 80's/early 90's born).


They're different, I just see a generation as being a fairly broad thing, that's all. What you're referring to is what I'd call a sub-generation.

what would be a big deal and a generational difference would be if you grew up watching cable TV vs only saturday morning cartoons, or if you grew up surfing YouTube instead of watching cable TV.


My nephew is 5 and he is still watching TV - just like I did 21 years ago. I would still consider him a different generation.

My nephew is 5 and he is still watching TV - just like I did 21 years ago. I would still consider him a different generation.


Haha it was only an example.  ;D Of course 21 years is a big enough difference - you could hypothetically be his father. Hell, I could even be his father.

Haha it was only an example.  ;D Of course 21 years is a big enough difference - you could hypothetically be his father. Hell, I could even be his father.


Different is  that there is nowadays generally much more kid's TV available than back in 1991. And it's not cable but internet TV. And he has got DVDs while I hadn't even VHS until late 1995.

I think it might be better to think of it, not in terms of birth years, but school years. My core peer group are going to be Sept '90 - Aug '91 because that's the group I went to school with for 17(?) years, even if my birthday isn't centered in that range. I also feel completely natural around people a year above or below me, so I'll widen it to Sept '89 - Aug '92. Every year beyond that in either direction is going to feel slightly more distant. I'm a senior in college right now and I've been around some freshman (Sept '93 - Aug '94 group) at parties and stuff and they just seem kind of different...they probably only have vague memories from before Y2K.

Of course, once I'm done with school in May, there won't be any "school years" anymore. Thinking about my childhood and the fads that came and went...I guess I'd say '85/'86 to '94. '84 seems very distant. Though I hung out with some '79ers last night and they still seemed very "Y-ish"

It's weird though. Sometimes I'll Google a celebrity and see they were born in, say, 1986, and I think of them as being so much older than me, and then I realize they're only 4 years older. Shia LaBeouf, the Olsen twins, Amanda Bynes, Lindsey Lohan, Drake Bell, Josh Peck....I grew up watching these people and the whole they've only been 4 years older than me, and yet they always seemed a generation ahead.

It's weird though. Sometimes I'll Google a celebrity and see they were born in, say, 1986, and I think of them as being so much older than me, and then I realize they're only 4 years older. Shia LaBeouf, the Olsen twins, Amanda Bynes, Lindsey Lohan, Drake Bell, Josh Peck....I grew up watching these people and the whole they've only been 4 years older than me, and yet they always seemed a generation ahead.


What's weird is it works the other way around as well. Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Dakota Fanning, and so on are only a few years younger than me, yet I see them as being kids. Even the celebrities born in 1989/1990 like Taylor Swift, Emma Watson, and so on seem young to me even though I'm their age, just because celebrities tend to cater towards younger people if they're musicians.

Or, if they're actors/actresses they often play characters that are younger than their actual ages.

Even someone born in 1983 in actuality is not that much older than me - we're only talking 6 1/2 years or so! I was 13 in 2003, they were 13 in 1996-1997, it's not really that big a deal in the long run. It just seems like a big deal because hypothetically speaking, they could have had a 15 year long career as a pop musician or something while most celebs my age are still up and coming.

I see a generation as being a broader thing than just a couple years. I think whether you watched TMNT, Pokemon or Digimon isn't really a huge deal, what would be a big deal and a generational difference would be if you grew up watching cable TV vs only saturday morning cartoons, or if you grew up surfing YouTube instead of watching cable TV.

But - then again - the idea of a generation is very vague to begin with. From a biological perspective, we're talking thirty years!


Well yes, if we're talking about the concept of a "generation" in the broader sense then clearly what cartoons you watched as a kid are not as relevant to the discussion as world changing events like 9/11, or societal and technological trends like never knowing a world without the internet. But when I think of a "personal generation", I'm put more in the mind of people most immediately near me in age because we shared the absolute most similar experiences growing up, not just in childhood, but into the teen years and beyond as well. Generally speaking, as somebody born in 1987, people born in 1986 or 1988 are very likely to have grown up most similar to the way I did.

That being said, I feel like people born anytime in the 80's, and at least in the first half of the 90's, had a similar enough life experience to be considered a part of "my generation". My younger brother was born in 1991, and except on a few key points, we had very identical experiences growing up.

Well yes, if we're talking about the concept of a "generation" in the broader sense then clearly what cartoons you watched as a kid are not as relevant to the discussion as world changing events like 9/11, or societal and technological trends like never knowing a world without the internet. But when I think of a "personal generation", I'm put more in the mind of people most immediately near me in age because we shared the absolute most similar experiences growing up, not just in childhood, but into the teen years and beyond as well. Generally speaking, as somebody born in 1987, people born in 1986 or 1988 are very likely to have grown up most similar to the way I did.

That being said, I feel like people born anytime in the 80's, and at least in the first half of the 90's, had a similar enough life experience to be considered a part of "my generation". My younger brother was born in 1991, and except on a few key points, we had very identical experiences growing up.


Right, I see what you're saying. I guess what I meant is like - the concept of Generation X or Y or whatever don't make quite as much sense if you're towards the edge of a generation. Such a person will probably see 'their generation' as including part of their own cohort and also part of the neighboring cohort. I think the issue with the lettered generations is the fact people often tend to end or begin them right before or after the year they were born, to exclude others.  ;D

To me it's weird that people like Kristen Stewart, Emma Watson, Alex Pettyfer, Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence, etc. were all born in 1990 like me but they seem older for some reason. Like if you put me in a room with all of them I might expect to feel like I'm in the presence of people at least a few years older than me. I'm sure their "mental age" is in fact "older" because of the fame factor, but we were still growing up at the same time and were probably into the same things.

Something that made me feel old was the fact that almost the entire US men's gymnastics team was younger than me (and the girls for that matter). A lot of the Olympians were, actually.

Maybe I just feel bad that all these people are roughly my age or younger and they've achieved all this fame and glory and I'm just...me ;D

Even someone born in 1983 in actuality is not that much older than me - we're only talking 6 1/2 years or so! I was 13 in 2003, they were 13 in 1996-1997, it's not really that big a deal in the long run.


6 and a half years is not much in a wider context, I agree.

But try to remember what you did in mid 2006 and imagine you were as old back then as you are today. 2006 as a year actually seems also pretty far away now, if you ask me. Just realize what has happend within that time frame....

Even when I am realizing that 4-year-older people were 16 when I was still a kid.... that's actually what they make them seem that much older.

To me it's weird that people like Kristen Stewart, Emma Watson, Alex Pettyfer, Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence, etc. were all born in 1990 like me but they seem older for some reason. Like if you put me in a room with all of them I might expect to feel like I'm in the presence of people at least a few years older than me. I'm sure their "mental age" is in fact "older" because of the fame factor, but we were still growing up at the same time and were probably into the same things.

Something that made me feel old was the fact that almost the entire US men's gymnastics team was younger than me (and the girls for that matter). A lot of the Olympians were, actually.

Maybe I just feel bad that all these people are roughly my age or younger and they've achieved all this fame and glory and I'm just...me ;D


Oh yeah, true! That um, Missy Franklin or whatever in the Olympics this year was born in 1995, and she looks like she's 25 or something!  :o I think the fact her name is Melissa makes her seem older too, as weird as that sounds. Same with Jennifer Lawrence, Jennifer is a name I typically associate with people older than me though like Melissa it's actually still fairly common among early to mid 90s born.

And yeah, in the case of Kristen Stewart, come to think of it she doesn't seem nearly as young as Miley Cyrus or Dakota Fanning. I suppose it's because 1) she wasn't really a child actor 2) she had a very publicized relationship with someone born in 1986 3) most of the other actors in Twilight are slightly older than her and 4) she just looks kinda old for 22.

6 and a half years is not much in a wider context, I agree.

But try to remember what you did in mid 2006 and imagine you were as old back then as you are today. 2006 as a year actually seems also pretty far away now, if you ask me. Just realize what has happend within that time frame....

Even when I am realizing that 4-year-older people were 16 when I was still a kid.... that's actually what they make them seem that much older.


Actually it's more the fact someone born in 1983 turned 18 in 2001 that makes them seem a bit older. 22 in 2006 vs 22 now is no big deal imo.

Is it just me or are there like no famous people born in 1991? 1992 has a ton like Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Taylor Lautner, Selena Gomez, Josh Hutcherson, etc., but no one jumps out for 1991. Emma Roberts is the only one I can think of.

Is it just me or are there like no famous people born in 1991? 1992 has a ton like Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Taylor Lautner, Selena Gomez, Josh Hutcherson, etc., but no one jumps out for 1991. Emma Roberts is the only one I can think of.


It seems like 1989, 1990 and 1991 are all pretty under-represented but yeah, especially 1991. Pixie Lott (a UK singer) is another 1991er I can think of.

Most of today's celebs seem to be born from 1981-88 and then there's a second cohort born from 1992-94. It is kind of strange.

Actually it's more the fact someone born in 1983 turned 18 in 2001 that makes them seem a bit older. 22 in 2006 vs 22 now is no big deal imo.


Yeah, that's makes more sense. I agree. Actually when looking ar the earlier years, it becomes clearer. I think that way about 1981ers who turned 18 in 1999 (when I was a 'little' 13-year-old and it were still the 90's).

It seems like 1989, 1990 and 1991 are all pretty under-represented but yeah, especially 1991. Pixie Lott (a UK singer) is another 1991er I can think of.

Most of today's celebs seem to be born from 1981-88 and then there's a second cohort born from 1992-94. It is kind of strange.


I mentioned a couple standouts from 1990 in one of my previous posts, but 1989 doesn't seem to have too many. Hayden Penettiere, Taylor Swift,  Daniel Radcliffe...Jordin Sparks (is she a household name?)

Can't think of any from 1993 off the top of my head either. 1992 seems to be the "it" year for the younger celebs.

Yeah, that's makes more sense. I agree. Actually when looking ar the earlier years, it becomes clearer. I think that way about 1981ers who turned 18 in 1999 (when I was a 'little' 13-year-old and it were still the 90's).


Yeah, Britney definitely seems a lot older than me, even though the reality is I'm actually only a little more than 8 years younger than her! It's just I was a little kid when she was first famous and she was already 17/18, while now I'm in my early 20s and she's in her early 30s so it doesn't seem like as big a deal.

I think the fact she's been famous almost 15 years just makes her seem so senior to me though. Not to mention she already looks 45.  ;D

I mentioned a couple standouts from 1990 in one of my previous posts, but 1989 doesn't seem to have too many. Hayden Penettiere, Taylor Swift,  Daniel Radcliffe...Jordin Sparks (is she a household name?)

Can't think of any from 1993 off the top of my head either. 1992 seems to be the "it" year for the younger celebs.


93 um ... Debby Ryan, Cher Lloyd?

Yeah '89 doesn't have too many. Jordin used to be a household name but she became forgotten pretty quickly. A shame because I actually liked her music.

Right, I see what you're saying. I guess what I meant is like - the concept of Generation X or Y or whatever don't make quite as much sense if you're towards the edge of a generation. Such a person will probably see 'their generation' as including part of their own cohort and also part of the neighboring cohort. I think the issue with the lettered generations is the fact people often tend to end or begin them right before or after the year they were born, to exclude others.  ;D


Oh, no doubt about that. In fact, it's become quite common on YouTube for commenters to place the cut-off point for being a "90's kid" as the year after they were born. I must say, there's nothing on the internet dumber than seeing 1994ers bashing 1995ers for calling themselves a child of the 90's.  ::)


Something that made me feel old was the fact that almost the entire US men's gymnastics team was younger than me (and the girls for that matter). A lot of the Olympians were, actually.

Maybe I just feel bad that all these people are roughly my age or younger and they've achieved all this fame and glory and I'm just...me ;D


That is one thing that does make me feel legitimately old too. Finding out that some of the US gymnasts were actually as much as 9 years younger than me was honestly kind of freaky.

What's really weird is when star players in professional sports leagues start becoming younger than you. Right now, the starting Quarterback and Running Back for the Washington Redskins (a team I liked as a kid) are both younger than me. Like you said, it sort of puts your own life in perspective. ;D

93 um ... Debby Ryan, Cher Lloyd?

Yeah '89 doesn't have too many. Jordin used to be a household name but she became forgotten pretty quickly. A shame because I actually liked her music.


I can't say I've ever heard of Debby Ryan, but wow, I didn't think there were any Debbies under the age of 40 these days ;D That's like one of the ultimate Boomer names.

I wouldn't say Jordin has completely disappeared though...she was in that movie with Whitney Houston and I think I saw her in a commercial a few months ago.

Oh, no doubt about that. In fact, it's become quite common on YouTube for commenters to place the cut-off point for being a "90's kid" as the year after they were born. I must say, there's nothing on the internet dumber than seeing 1994ers bashing 1995ers for calling themselves a child of the 90's.  ::)


Indeed.  :D

I can't say I've ever heard of Debby Ryan, but wow, I didn't think there were any Debbies under the age of 40 these days ;D That's like one of the ultimate Boomer names.



Yes, and Cher is a shorter form of Cheryl which is also very rare for a Gen Yer to be named.

I can't say I've ever heard of Debby Ryan, but wow, I didn't think there were any Debbies under the age of 40 these days ;D That's like one of the ultimate Boomer names.

I wouldn't say Jordin has completely disappeared though...she was in that movie with Whitney Houston and I think I saw her in a commercial a few months ago.

Debby Ryan? She played Bailey Pickett on the Disney Channel sitcom "Suite Life On Deck", and is currently starring in the title role of another Disney Channel sitcom, "Jessie."

That is one thing that does make me feel legitimately old too. Finding out that some of the US gymnasts were actually as much as 9 years younger than me was honestly kind of freaky.

What's really weird is when star players in professional sports leagues start becoming younger than you. Right now, the starting Quarterback and Running Back for the Washington Redskins (a team I liked as a kid) are both younger than me. Like you said, it sort of puts your own life in perspective. ;D


Oh yeah, you know what's worse? I've heard people call Katy Perry and celebs around her age cougars! I mean jeez, these people are only 5, 6, 7 years older than me. In my opinion it's totally ridiculous to call a woman younger than 35 a cougar.

By the end of this decade, I can assure you that Kristen Stewart, Selena Gomez and Jennifer Lawrence will also be seen as 'older women' to some people and get the 'cougar' label.

I think it might be better to think of it, not in terms of birth years, but school years. My core peer group are going to be Sept '90 - Aug '91 because that's the group I went to school with for 17(?) years, even if my birthday isn't centered in that range. I also feel completely natural around people a year above or below me, so I'll widen it to Sept '89 - Aug '92. Every year beyond that in either direction is going to feel slightly more distant. I'm a senior in college right now and I've been around some freshman (Sept '93 - Aug '94 group) at parties and stuff and they just seem kind of different...they probably only have vague memories from before Y2K.


I also wanted to respond to this because I think it is an astute point. I think that anybody that shared any time with you in high school is probably the best way to roughly define the parameters of your "personal generation".

Like, for example, when I started high school in 2001, most people in the senior class were 1984ers or '83ers, which are sort of the oldest ages that I share some commonality with, while in my senior year (2004-05) the freshmen coming in were mostly 1990ers, which is probably about the youngest people that I would say had a mostly similar childhood as mine.

I also wanted to respond to this because I think it is an astute point. I think that anybody that shared any time with you in high school is probably the best way to roughly define the parameters of your "personal generation".

Like, for example, when I started high school in 2001, most people in the senior class were 1984ers or '83ers, which are sort of the oldest ages that I share some commonality with, while in my senior year (2004-05) the freshmen coming in were mostly 1990ers, which is probably about the youngest people that I would say had a mostly similar childhood as mine.


That's a good way to look at it. I shared my high school experience with the classes of '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, encompassing late 1987 through mid 1994.

I remember people making fun of the class of '10 because they couldn't say "Class of O-10" like Class of "O-9", "O-8", "O-7", etc., could (well I guess they technically could but it would sound kind of dumb :D)

That's a good way to look at it. I shared my high school experience with the classes of '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11, '12, encompassing late 1987 through mid 1994.


As for me, I didn't really feel that much connected to the classes over or under me. Maybe a bit to the ones one grade over me (85/86), but 87/88 already felt more 'uncomfortable'.

As for me, I didn't really feel that much connected to the classes over or under me. Maybe a bit to the ones one grade over me (85/86), but 87/88 already felt more 'uncomfortable'.


I feel/felt comfortable one grade above and below. Beyond that, there was some slight disconnect.

It really comes down to how you define a generation.  I was born in 87, so anyone born in the mid-late 80s (and maybe 1990) had similar experiences growing up.  Beyond that there starts to be some noticeable differences, but I would still consider anyone currently in their 20s a 'peer.'  So roughly 1982-1992 if I had to put a date on it.

In terms of who you feel comfortable around, I think during childhood it's not much more than 1 year either way.  As a teen I'd say about 2 years, and as a young adult probably 4/5 years.

It really comes down to how you define a generation.  I was born in 87, so anyone born in the mid-late 80s (and maybe 1990) had similar experiences growing up.  Beyond that there starts to be some noticeable differences, but I would still consider anyone currently in their 20s a 'peer.'  So roughly 1982-1992 if I had to put a date on it.

In terms of who you feel comfortable around, I think during childhood it's not much more than 1 year either way.  As a teen I'd say about 2 years, and as a young adult probably 4/5 years.


Very true. When you're a kid, age matters alot. In my elementary school, most grades took recess at the same time, and the playground typically dived itself among age groups. This becomes a lesser and lesser deal as you get older, and by the time you get into your mid 20's like I am now, you come into contact with so many different people of so many varying ages on a daily basis that much of that goes away.

I was also born in '87, and I feel like I'd probably have at least a decent amount in common with anybody in that 1983/84-1990/91 range I mentioned. I mean, despite the age gaps, we were all too young to get into the Grunge movement, but still old enough to fully experience 9/11 and remember at least some of the late 20th Century.

Very true. When you're a kid, age matters alot. In my elementary school, most grades took recess at the same time, and the playground typically dived itself among age groups. This becomes a lesser and lesser deal as you get older, and by the time you get into your mid 20's like I am now, you come into contact with so many different people of so many varying ages on a daily basis that much of that goes away.

I was also born in '87, and I feel like I'd probably have at least a decent amount in common with anybody in that 1983/84-1990/91 range I mentioned. I mean, despite the age gaps, we were all too young to get into the Grunge movement, but still old enough to fully experience 9/11 and remember at least some of the late 20th Century.


Yea that sounds about right.  I'd say people born in the second half of the 80s are who I 'grew up' with; I didn't really hang out with anyone outside of that range growing up, but now I have quite a few friends born on either side.  I don't notice too much of a difference since we're all 'young adults' now.

I think I can relate pretty well to anyone who's old enough to have a decent memory of life before the internet and 'Gen-Y culture', but was still young (like school-age) when it blew up.

I was born in 1989.

Based on the ages of the people who I have gatherings with on a regular basis:

1985-1991

I seldom associate with anyone older or younger outside of the internet.

1980 is my birth year, and I tend to associate mainly with people born within ten years of that (as most of my closest friends were born within that time frame). But I do have friends of all age groups.