1928–1945
Silent Generation Age Range
The Silent Generation is commonly defined as people born from 1928 through 1945. It follows the Greatest Generation and comes before Baby Boomers. In 2026, the oldest members turn 98 and the youngest turn 81.
As of 2026, members of the Silent Generation are between 80 and 98 years old.
What years is the Silent Generation?
Pew Research Center uses birth years 1928 through 1945. Other researchers start the generation a few years earlier: Strauss and Howe use 1925–1942, and several other sources use 1925–1945. In Australia, McCrindle Research calls the same cohort the Builders.
Silent Generation ages by birth year
The age each birth year reaches in 2026 (on their birthday this year):
| Born in | Turns this year |
|---|---|
| 1928 | 98 |
| 1929 | 97 |
| 1930 | 96 |
| 1931 | 95 |
| 1932 | 94 |
| 1933 | 93 |
| 1934 | 92 |
| 1935 | 91 |
| 1936 | 90 |
| 1937 | 89 |
| 1938 | 88 |
| 1939 | 87 |
| 1940 | 86 |
| 1941 | 85 |
| 1942 | 84 |
| 1943 | 83 |
| 1944 | 82 |
| 1945 | 81 |
Where the name came from
The label comes from a November 1951 Time magazine essay, "The Younger Generation," which described the young adults of the day as cautious and unwilling to speak out compared with earlier generations. Historians have connected that caution to the anti-communist climate of the McCarthy era, when young people entering careers had reason to keep their heads down.
The name is somewhat misleading. Many of the leading voices of the 1960s, including Martin Luther King Jr., Bob Dylan and Muhammad Ali, were born in Silent Generation years.
What shaped the Silent Generation
- A Depression and wartime childhood. Members were born during the Great Depression and World War II, and many grew up with fathers or older siblings away at war.
- A small cohort. Birth rates fell during the Depression and the war, so this generation is noticeably smaller than the ones on either side of it.
- The Korean War. Many of the Americans who fought in Korea from 1950 to 1953 were members of this generation.
- Postwar prosperity. They entered adulthood during the economic boom of the 1950s and, compared with other American generations, tended to marry and have children young.
The Silent Generation compared with the Greatest Generation and Baby Boomers
| Generation | Birth years | Current ages | Grew up with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greatest Generation | 1901–1927 | 98–125 | Radio, the Great Depression and World War II |
| Silent Generation | 1928–1945 | 80–98 | Radio, then early television |
| Baby Boomers | 1946–1964 | 61–80 | Television |
Silent Generation FAQ
What years are the Silent Generation?
Pew Research Center defines the Silent Generation as people born from 1928 through 1945.
Why is it called the Silent Generation?
A 1951 Time magazine essay described the young adults of the era as quiet and cautious compared with earlier generations, and the label stuck.
Is someone born in 1945 a Boomer?
No. Under the common definition, 1945 is the last Silent Generation year. The Baby Boom is usually dated from 1946, the first full year after World War II.
Greatest Generation
See the generation before Silent Generation.
Baby Boomers
See the generation after Silent Generation.