At a glance
Notable context
- Millennials are also called Generation Y in many sources.
- They came of age as the web, mobile phones, and social media became mainstream.
- The commonly cited U.S. range is 1981 through 1996.
Position in time
Generations timeline
The highlighted period shows where Millennial sits among the commonly used modern generation ranges.
Millennials, often called Generation Y, are commonly defined as people born from 1981 to 1996. Their formative years spanned the spread of home internet, the transition to mobile phones, and the early rise of social media.
Many entered adulthood around the 2008 financial crisis, an event that shaped discussion of their education, work, housing, and finances. The boundaries are a convention, and experiences within this large cohort differ greatly by place and circumstance.
Use the label as a starting point for historical context rather than a complete description of any individual. Birth-year ranges also differ between researchers and publications.
Want to explore this subject in more depth?
Read about Millennial on Wikipedia