What is a zillennial? The micro-generation no one talks about

With the mainstream obsession over millennials and Gen Z, it’s easy to forget there’s more than just two generations in the conversation. From constant generational clashes to tired stereotypes, we’ve heard it all: millennials supposedly spending their way out of home ownership on avocado toast, and Gen Z workers labelled as difficult or entitled (which we’d argue is wildly unfair).

But quietly sitting between the two is a micro-generation that rarely gets a mention at all. One that many people only discover exists well into adulthood.

Enter: Zillennials.

As the name suggests, zillennials fall between millennials and Gen Z, those born on the cusp of both eras. They share traits from each generation, shaped by an upbringing that straddled analogue childhoods and digital adulthood.

Too old to be fully Gen Z, too young to be a 'proper' millennial, zillennials occupy a cultural grey area that often goes unnoticed, despite quietly experiencing the best and worst of both worlds.

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While not widely recognised (and often debated for its existence), the zillennial micro-generation typically describes those born between 1993 and 1998.

The uncertainty hasn’t stopped people from claiming the identity, though. In fact, there are dedicated Reddit forums dedicated to the unspoken generation, filled with discussions dissecting definitions, timelines and shared experiences.

"I feel like if you watched Disney Channel from Lizzie McGuire through Wizards of Waverly, you’re a healthy blend of both and a true zillenial," one user suggested.

Another added: "1998 club here. We grew up without phones, and still played outside. In my last year of elementary school, I got my first phone. Definitely not the smart one; it came closer to the brick edition. We were always labelled as Gen Z, but I relate better with millennials than with the youth nowadays."

A third chimed in: "I would say 90s kids (90s millennials and 90s Gen Zs) are zillennials. They share an analogue early childhood and digital to smart devices and modern social media through their teen years."

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