Zillennials

Last updated December 16, 2024

Zillennials, or Zennials, is a social cohort encompassing people born on the cusp of, or during the latter years of the Millennial generation and the early years of Generation Z.^[1] Their adjacency between the two generations and limited age set has led to their characterization as a "micro-generation".^[2]^[3] They are generally the children of younger Baby Boomers and Generation X.^[4] Estimates of the U.S. population in this cohort range from 30 million to 48 million.^[5]^[6]

In early childhood during the September 11 terrorist attacks, they were the first cohort to experience adolescence in a post-9/11 world. The majority of this cohort came of age during the 2010s, with the U.K. Brexit referendum and U.S. presidential election of 2016, COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020–2021 George Floyd protests being key formative events.^[3] Zillennials experienced the sudden global Digital Revolution of the late 2000s and 2010s, navigating mobile LTE internet, cell phones, mobile devices and smartphones.^[7]

Zillennials code-switch between generations,^[8] have high levels of digital literacy,^[9] and are more likely to self-identify into a minority group.^[10] Zillennials are less wealthy but more economically secure than Generation Z, commanding relatively high spending power in the U.S. economy, especially when compared to millennials.^[6]^[11] They have high brand loyalty, low price sensitivity, and stable purchasing patterns.

Etymology

The term Zillennial is a portmanteau of "Generation Z" and "Millennial".^[1] A similar portmanteau, Zennial, is also used.^[12] Other names that have been proposed for these cuspers include the Snapchat Generation by authors Ubl, Walden, and Arbit,^[4] and MinionZ by Smit.^[13]GenZennials was used to reference the micro-generation by Ketchum.^[14]

Birth date and age range

According to the Pew Research Center, "generational cutoff points aren’t an exact science".^[15] The think tank classifies a standard generation as "[typically between] 15 to 18 years" with "great diversity of thought, experience and behavior within generations."^[16] Zillennials are those born on the cusp of, or near the end of the Millennial generation and the beginning of Generation Z.^[1]

The exact date range of this micro-generation is not specifically defined. Avery Hartmans, writing for Business Insider citing a study on U.S. consumers, defines a Zillennial as anyone born between 1990 and 2000.^[17]^[18] Authors Hannah Ubl, Lisa Walden, and Debra Arbit define the cuspers as those born between 1992 and 1998, as does Mary Everett, writing for PopSugar ^[7] and Vogue .^[19] A WGSN case study on the cohort similarly notes this date range.^[3] Ketchum defines GenZennials as those born from 1992 to 2000.^[14] Boston University sociologist Deborah Carr defines Zillennials as those born "roughly" between 1992 and 2002.^[20] Others have defined Zillennials as those born from 1993 to 1998, including Deon Smit (HR Future),^[13] Maisy Farren ( Vice ),^[21] Lindsay Dogson ( Business Insider Mexico),^[22] Britannica,^[23] and MetLife.^[24] Fullscreen defines the cusp group as those born from approximately 1993 to 1999 in their research.^[10] Likewise, authors Fons Trompenaars and Peter Woolliams use the years 1993 to 1999 as Zennials.^[25] Author Mary Donahue defines the cuspers as those born from 1995 to 2000.^[26]

Characteristics

Zillennials are influenced by traits of both the preceding Millennial generation and subsequent Generation Z, often sharing strong, polarizing connectivity to one adjoining generation over the other.^[27]^[28] Members of this micro-generation consider the "fluid" nature of their age grade unsettling with potential to "tarnish their status and input in the workplace [via ageism]", according to a WGSN case study.^[27] The case study found that some zillennials preferred to be seen as millennials in the workplace, as they are seen as more professional, while younger zillennials believed they were "too young" for the characterization.^[3] Due to rapid demographic change during the 2010s social scientists believe that a second micro-generation could lie between the millennial generation and Generation Z, according to author Tim Elmore.^[29]^[30]

Arts and culture

The advent of "Zillennialcore" to describe the cultural backdrop of this micro-generation references music, media, and fashion.^[9] Members of this cohort often code-switch, "[aging] up when speaking to [millennials] and [aging] down when speaking to younger relatives."^[8] They are seen as "cultural tastemakers", particularly in youth subcultures for both younger millennials and older members of Generation Z.^[5] Their creative content is marked by an emphasis on authenticity, relatability, and social consciousness, rejecting curated programming typical of the millennial generation.^[5] They have substantial control over internet meme culture, donning the moniker "meme lords".^[27]

Economic activity

Their outlook on their economic prospects was shaped by the decade's period of instability such as the Great Recession of the late 2000s and the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2019 and continuing into the mid-2020s.^[3] Experiencing the effect of these crises on their parents, siblings, and others informed their outlook later on in life.^[27] Around 48% of American zillennials lived with their parents in 2023, which, coupled with their digital literacy and stable incomes, generates substantial spending power.^[6] An analysis by Morgan Stanley found that members of this cohort helped sustain the luxury good sector during periods of economic downturn.^[6] In 2023, fund manager Ken Costa in a book review via the Financial Times argued that the transfer of wealth valued at $100 trillion from Baby Boomers to younger generations, including zillennials, could restructure the global economy.^[31]

A report from Bank of America found in 2020 that zillennials carry outsized influence in financial markets due to their shifting consumer preferences away from "meat, alcohol and cars."^[32] Payment processing researcher PYMNTS conducted a study on this cohort of U.S. consumers in 2023.^[11] They are nearly identical to Generation Z when it comes to work habits, preferring similar levels of remote work, social connection, and app platform usage.^[11] Zillennials have higher brand loyalty and less price sensitivity than millennials, leading to more stable purchasing patterns.^[5]

Health

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted certain social markers for zillennials.^[33] They are less likely than Generation Z to use online pharmacies.^[11]

Personal values

According to CNN, zillennials are more aligned with Generation Z on social issues.^[20] A 2017 analysis by Ubl, Walden, and Arbit found that they were raised by "skeptical Xers and pragmatic Gen Jonesers" who, in turn, instilled in them a bias toward pragmatism over idealism.^[4] Diversity and independence are the traits used most often by the cohort to describe what will set their micro-generation apart.^[10] The study found the cohort to be more creative and more likely to self-identify into a minority group than other generational cohorts.^[10]

Abercrombie & Fitch noted a target demographic of 25 to 29 years olds as having "a bit of both Gen Z and millennial mentality" in 2022.^[34] They rebranded between 2020 and 2022 to capitalize around what they perceived to be the micro-generation's ethos: fulfillment and self-actualization.^[34] The brand identified Zillennials and their usage of TikTok as being a major cultural exporter.^[34]

Zillennials believe in global warming and efforts to mitigate climate change, with many identifying as eco-conscious.^[20]^[35]

Political activity

Patrice Peck, writing for Cosmopolitan, stated that zillennials were between the ages of 18 and 29 during the 2020 United States elections, and were the "key to ousting then-president Donald Trump and sending Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House."^[36] Glamour UK noted their general political outlook as more socialist than millennials.^[37] The U.K. Brexit referendum and U.S. presidential election, both occurring in 2016, are seen as key formative political events by zillennials, many of whom were not yet of voting age but who observed these events as they unfolded and were shaped by them.^[3]

Zillennials actively participated in the 2020–2021 George Floyd protests which were the largest series of protests against police brutality in the United States (alongside international protests) since the Civil Rights Movement.^[38]^[39]^[40]^[41]^[42]

Social life

Zillennials are less likely than Generation Z to use digital means, such as text messaging and dating apps, to connect with a romantic partner.^[11] They are considered socially and emotionally intelligent.^[27] They are nostalgic for the 1990s and 2000s for the perceived allure of the 1990s U.S. economic boom and 2000s digital revolution, as is Generation Z.^[43]^[44]

Technology

USA Today described zillennials as being digital natives "steeped in internet culture" with high levels of digital literacy.^[9] Zillennials and Generation Z share nearly identical digital engagement levels, 58.8% compared to 63.2%, respectively.^[11] Zillennials are more likely to consume news via online channels and play video games on consoles than Generation Z.^[11] According to a study done by Fullscreen, while zillennials are comfortable with technology and social media, they acknowledge it as a "love-hate relationship" with both.^[10] A majority of this cohort believe that technology betters the world.^[10]

Related Research Articles

Generation X is the demographic cohort following the Baby Boomers and preceding Millennials. Researchers and popular media often use the mid-1960s as its starting birth years and the late 1970s as its ending birth years, with the generation being generally defined as people born from 1965 to 1980. By this definition and U.S. Census data, there are 65.2 million Gen Xers in the United States as of 2019. Most of Generation X are the children of the Silent Generation and early Baby Boomers; Xers are also often the parents of Millennials and Generation Z.

Baby boomers, often shortened to boomers, are the demographic cohort preceded by the Silent Generation and followed by Generation X. The generation is often defined as people born from 1946 to 1964 during the mid-20th century baby boom. The dates, the demographic context, and the cultural identifiers may vary by country. Most baby boomers are the children of either the Greatest Generation or the Silent Generation, and are often the parents of the younger members of Generation X and Millennials. In the West, boomers' childhoods in the 1950s and 1960s had significant reforms in education, both as part of the ideological confrontation that was the Cold War, and as a continuation of the interwar period. Theirs was a time of economic prosperity and rapid technological progress. In the 1960s and 1970s, as this relatively large number of young people entered their teens and young adulthood—the oldest turned 18 in 1964, the youngest in 1982—they, and those around them, created a very specific rhetoric around their cohort, and the social movements brought about by their size in numbers, such as the counterculture of the 1960s and its backlash.

A generation is all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively. It also is "the average period, generally considered to be about 20–⁠30 years, during which children are born and grow up, become adults, and begin to have children." In kinship, generation is a structural term, designating the parent–child relationship. In biology, generation also means biogenesis, reproduction, and procreation.

Millennials, also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Researchers and popular media use the early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s as ending birth years, with the generation typically being defined as people born from 1981 to 1996. Most Millennials are the children of Baby Boomers and older Generation X. In turn Millennials are often the parents of Generation Alpha.

The Silent Generation, also known as the Traditionalist Generation, is the Western demographic cohort following the Greatest Generation and preceding the baby boomers. The generation is generally defined as people born from 1928 to 1945. By this definition and U.S. Census data, there were 23 million Silents in the United States as of 2019.

Generation Jones is the generation or social cohort between the Baby Boom generation and Generation X. The term was coined by American cultural commentator Jonathan Pontell, who argues that the term refers to a full distinct generation born from 1954 to 1965. Media coverage of Generation Jones typically has described it as a distinct generation, using Pontell's dates. Others see this as a subset of the Baby Boom Generation, primarily its second half. A third view is that Generation Jones is a cusp or micro-generation between the Boomers and Xers.

Generation Z, also known as Zoomers, is the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1990s as starting birth years and the early 2010s as ending birth years, with the generation most frequently being defined as people born from 1997 to 2012. Most members of Generation Z are the children of younger baby boomers or Generation X.

The Strauss–Howe generational theory, devised by William Strauss and Neil Howe, describes a theorized recurring generation cycle in American history and Western history. According to the theory, historical events are associated with recurring generational personas (archetypes). Each generational persona unleashes a new era lasting around 21 years, in which a new social, political, and economic climate (mood) exists. They are part of a larger cyclical "saeculum". The theory states that a crisis recurs in American history after every saeculum, which is followed by a recovery (high). During this recovery, institutions and communitarian values are strong. Ultimately, succeeding generational archetypes attack and weaken institutions in the name of autonomy and individualism, which eventually creates a tumultuous political environment that ripens conditions for another crisis.

The demographics of sexual orientation and gender identity in the United States have been studied in the social sciences in recent decades. A 2023 Gallup poll concluded that 7.6% of adult Americans identified as LGBTQ+. A different survey in 2016, from the Williams Institute, estimated that 0.6% of U.S. adults identify as transgender. As of 2022, estimates for the total percentage of U.S. adults that are transgender or nonbinary range from 0.5% to 1.6%. Additionally, a Pew Research survey from 2022 found that approximately 5% of young adults in the U.S. say their gender is different from their sex assigned at birth.

The working environment has gone through a major transformation over the last decades, particularly in terms of population in the workforce. The generations dominating the workforce in 2024 are baby boomers, Generation X, millennials and Generation Z. The coming decades will see further changes with emergence of newer generations, and slower removal of older generations from organisations as pension age is pushed out. Many reports, including a publication by Therese Kinal and Olga Hypponen of Unleash, warn that understanding differences between the generations, and learning to adapt their management practices is critical to building a successful multigenerational workplace.

Xennials are the micro-generation of people on the cusp of the Generation X and Millennial demographic cohorts.

A cusper is a person born near the end of one generation and the beginning of another. People born in these circumstances tend to have a mix of characteristics common to their adjacent generations, but do not closely resemble those born in the middle of their adjacent generations, and thus these cusper groups can be considered micro generations. Generational profiles are built based on people born in the middle of a generation rather than those on the tails of a generation. Generations may overlap by five to eight years. As such, many people identify with aspects of at least two generations. The precise birth years defining when generations start and end vary. Lancaster and Stillman (2002) introduced the term, cusper, in reference to those who are born at either end of a generation, and consequently, may identify to some extent with the generation before or after it. The authors observed that such individuals can often play an important role in mediating dialogue between members of different generations. Other authors like Ubl, Walden and Arbit (2017) observed something similar: "the truth is that they play a pivotal role in ensuring seamless communication across generations. Cuspers are natural translators because they often speak the language of two generations. Sometimes we even call them generationally bilingual!"

Millennial socialism is a resurgence of interest in democratic socialism and social democracy among Americans and Britons born between 1981 and 1996, generationally known as millennials.

Generation Z, colloquially known as Zoomers, is the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha. Members of Generation Z, were born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s, with the generation typically being defined as those born from 1997 to 2012. In other words, the first wave came of age during the second decade of the twenty-first century, a time of significant demographic change due to declining birthrates, population aging, and immigration. Girls of the early twenty-first century reach puberty earlier than their counterparts from the previous generations. They have higher incidents of eye problems, allergies, awareness and reporting of mental health issues, suicide, and sleep deprivation, but lower rates of adolescent pregnancy. They drink alcohol and smoke traditional tobacco cigarettes less often, but are more likely to consume marijuana and electronic cigarettes.

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Generation Z, colloquially also referred to as 'zoomers', is the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1990s as starting birth years, while they use the early 2010s as the ending birth years, with the generation generally being defined as those born between 1997 and 2012.

Millennials, also known as Generation Y or Gen Y, are the demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. Unlike their counterparts in most other developed nations, Millennials in the United States are a relatively large cohort in their nation's population, which has implications for their nation's economy and geopolitics. They generally adopt a slow-life history strategy in that compared to previous cohorts, they tend to be highly educated, be less inclined to engage in sexual intercourse, marry later, and have fewer children, or none at all. Furthermore, Millennials are much less religious than older generations, though some still identify as spiritual. Millennials have faced economic challenges posed by the Great Recession, and another one in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But they have been steadily catching up with their elders in terms of inflation-adjusted median household income and home ownership. They also maintain a high level of participation in the labor force.

The millennial pause is a pause in speaking at the start of some videos, especially in short-form content and on social media apps such as TikTok. The pause is generally ascribed to millennials, the generation of people born from the early-mid 1980s to mid-1990s. The phenomenon is an example of the digital generation gap between millennials and subsequent generations.

John Della Volpe is an American pollster, author, and advisor to Joe Biden's 2020 election campaign. He is the director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics and the founder of Cambridge's SocialSphere, a public opinion research firm focusing on Gen Z and Millennials. Della Volpe is also an MSNBC contributor.

Millennials, also known as Generation Y, are the demographic cohort following Generation X and preceding Generation Z. The generation is typically defined as people born between 1981 and 1996. Millennials are reshaping political discourse, showing evolving attitudes towards governance, social issues, and economic policies. Their increasing political participation and distinct generational identity signify a transformative phase in contemporary politics, with potential long-term implications for national and global political trends.

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