Generation X has so many nicknames! I mean, all the generations have one or two others, sure. Gen Z is called Zoomers, Millennials are also Gen Y, and Boomers are sometimes called the Vietnam Generation.
But nobody has a nickname list like Generation X! From Baby Busters to Slackers to the MTV Generation, we corner the market on generational nicknames.
So let’s take a look at all the nicknames for Gen X that I could find and their origins.
Generation X Nicknames
The Baby Bust Generation. The baby boom that followed the end of WWII resulted in the Baby Boom Generation, so naturally, the subsequent drop in baby-making resulted in a similar generation name. You’ll find that early on, generations tend to acquire a name that is in response to the previous generation’s name, like how Millennials were originally called Gen Y.
The Slacker Generation. Most people believe this nickname originated from the movie “Slacker” and was applied to the up-and-coming youth who appeared aimless and goalless to older generations. This nickname is one of the stickiest and there are several reasons for that.
Read more here: Why is Generation X Called the Slacker Generation?
The MTV Generation. Music videos seduced all the young people of the 80s and 90s. Watching bands and artists, rather than just listening, affected the generation’s style, tastes, and attitudes.
Generation Jones: Technically, Gen Jones is a micro-generation that spans the end of the Baby Boomer generation and the beginning of Gen X. But some will refer to most of Generation X as Generation Jones. It’s derived from the keeping-up-with-the-Jones’ style consumerism.
Read more here: Generation Jones to Xennials and the Gen X In Between
Xennials. This nickname refers to the micro-generation that spans from the last few years of Gen X into the first few years of the Millennial Generation. I won’t have to tell you savvy readers that the word is a mash-up of X and Millennials.
The Catalano Generation. This so-called nickname originates from the short-lived but culty My So-Called Life teen drama show starring Claire Danes and Jared Leto. Leto plays the dreamy and complicated Jordan Catalano, from whence the nickname comes. The show portrays mid-90s high schoolers, so reflects a relatively young Gen X. But I think it shows a nice connection and contrast to the Slacker portrayal of older Gen X. There’s a throughline from the aimlessness of Slacker to pointlessness conveyed by My So-Called Life that encapsulates the generation in a relatable way.
The Oregon Trail Generation. This nickname also attaches most cleanly to the latter half of Gen X and is a reference to the computer game that became a popular learning tool in elementary and middle schools once computer labs became available and common in schools.
The Forgotten Generation. Along with The Middle Child Generation, this nickname arose from the early realization that Generation X was essentially ignored. As a small generation between two big monolith generations, there has never been much attention on Gen X. Are we ignored by marketers because we aren’t big consumers, or are we light consumers because marketers ignore us? Could be a chicken and egg thing.
The Middle Child Generation. “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!” I think this nickname was coined by Pew Research and reflects the same idea as The Forgotten Generation. Even now, the Boomers and Millennials garner enormous amounts of media, science, and marketing attention while Gen X is rarely discussed.
The Latchkey Generation. For me, this nickname is the most relatable. Everyone I knew went home to an empty house and waited for their parents to get home from work. Thank heavens for afternoon kids’ television programming.
Thirteeners. This nickname came from Strauss and Howe and signifies that Generation X was the 13th American generation.
Twentynothings. A reference to the hit TV show Thirtysomething which followed a group of Baby Boomers, Twentynothings conveys the same aimlessness as The Slacker Generation moniker. This title attempts to directly contrast young Gen X with the Boomers.
The New Lost Generation. Strauss and Howe describe a generation cycle where every fourth generation tends to repeat. They see a correlation between The Lost Generation and Generation X, both considered Nomad generations by the authors.
Did I leave any out? Leave a comment!
For more, explore All Things Gen X.