1997–2012
Gen Z Age Range
Generation Z, often shortened to Gen Z, is commonly defined as people born from 1997 through 2012. It follows Millennials and comes before Generation Alpha. In 2026, the oldest members of Gen Z turn 29 and the youngest turn 14.
As of 2026, members of Gen Z are between 13 and 29 years old.
What years are Gen Z?
Pew Research Center starts Gen Z with people born in 1997. Pew treated 2012 as a tentative end year when it defined the generation in 2019, and 1997–2012 has since become the most widely used range, including by the Library of Congress and Statistics Canada.
Other sources draw the lines differently. Psychologist Jean Twenge's book iGen uses 1995–2012, and McCrindle Research in Australia uses 1995–2009. A 2022 U.S. Census Bureau report described Gen Z as born from 1997 to 2013.
Gen Z ages by birth year
The age each birth year reaches in 2026 (on their birthday this year):
| Born in | Turns this year |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 29 |
| 1998 | 28 |
| 1999 | 27 |
| 2000 | 26 |
| 2001 | 25 |
| 2002 | 24 |
| 2003 | 23 |
| 2004 | 22 |
| 2005 | 21 |
| 2006 | 20 |
| 2007 | 19 |
| 2008 | 18 |
| 2009 | 17 |
| 2010 | 16 |
| 2011 | 15 |
| 2012 | 14 |
Why 1997?
Pew's reasoning focuses on technology and shared events. When the iPhone launched in 2007, the oldest members of Gen Z were about 10, so smartphones, social media and constant connectivity were part of their adolescence from the start. Most members of Gen Z also have little or no memory of the September 11 attacks, which Millennials remember.
Other names for Gen Z
The name continues the alphabetical sequence after Generation X and Generation Y (Millennials). Gen Z is also called Zoomers, a play on "Boomers" that spread online around 2018 and is now in major dictionaries. Other proposed names include iGen, Centennials and the Homeland Generation.
What shaped Gen Z
- Smartphones and social media. Gen Z is the first generation to grow up with mobile internet and social platforms as a normal part of childhood and adolescence.
- Online video. Many members grew up watching YouTube and other online video as much as, or more than, traditional TV.
- The COVID-19 pandemic. When schools closed in 2020, most of Gen Z was still in school or just starting work, and the disruption affected education, jobs and social life.
People born in the mid-to-late 1990s, at the boundary with Millennials, are sometimes called Zillennials.
Gen Z compared with Millennials and Gen Alpha
| Generation | Birth years | Current ages | Grew up with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millennials | 1981–1996 | 29–45 | The rise of the internet |
| Generation Z | 1997–2012 | 13–29 | Smartphones and social media |
| Generation Alpha | 2013–2024 | 1–13 | Tablets, streaming and voice assistants |
Gen Z FAQ
What years are Gen Z?
The most common definition, from Pew Research Center, is 1997 through 2012.
Is someone born in 1997 Gen Z or a Millennial?
Under Pew's definition, 1997 is the first Gen Z year. People born in 1996 are the youngest Millennials.
Is someone born in 2012 Gen Z or Gen Alpha?
This site treats 2012 as the last Gen Z year, following the common 1997–2012 range. Some sources, including McCrindle, start Gen Alpha in 2010, so you may see 2010–2012 described as Gen Alpha.
Why is Gen Z called Zoomers?
Zoomer is an informal play on Boomer, combining it with the letter Z. It became popular online around 2018.
Millennials
See the generation before Gen Z.
Generation Alpha
See the generation after Gen Z.