Echo Boomers (1982-1991) vs Gen Katniss (1994-2003)

[Anthony '58]

(10-16-2021, 09:27 AM)RELFantastic Wrote: In this post, I will be breaking down the two waves of Millennials, Echo Boomers being the first wave and Generation Katniss being the second wave. The main theme of this definition is not just about coming of age in the early 21st century, but its also about defining generations by the barriers of major world events.


Here are the ranges:

First Wave Millennials (Echo Boomers): 1982-1991 (give or take late 1981-mid 1991/Classes of 2000-2009)

Can fall into either first or second wave: 1992-1993 (give or take late 1991-mid 1993/Classes of 2010-2011)

Second Wave Millennials (Generation Katniss): 1994-2003 (give or take late 1993-mid 2003/Classes of 2012-2021)


Going by growing up range of 7-17, Echo Boomers would have all “grew up” (meaning both childhood and adolescence) between 1989-2008, which was a post-berlin wall pre-recession world. Generation Katniss would have all “grew up” (both childhood and adolescence) between 2001-2020, which was a post-9/11 pre-COVID-19 world. Together, that makes the Millennials “growing up” period as 1989-2020.


Echo Boomers were born during the sharp rise in birth rates between 3.68 and above 4.1 from about 1982-1991, with parents mainly being Baby Boomers.

Generation Katniss were born during the sharp decline in birth rates between 3.8 and below 4.1 from about 1994-2003, with parents mainly being Gen Xers.


Echo Boomers were the primary cultural influencers between 2008-2017.

Generation Katniss are the primary cultural influencers between 2020-2029.


Echo Boomers were the first to spend a primarily post-Cold War childhood, as members of Echo Boomers who were alive during the Fall of the Berlin Wall were 0-7.

Generation Katniss were the first to primarily spend a post-9/11 childhood, as members of Generation Katniss who were alive during the 9/11 attacks were 0-7.


Echo Boomers were the elementary schoolers during Clinton’s first term (1993-1996) which can be commonly be referred to as “core 90s“, and teens during Bush’s first term (2001-2004) which can commonly be referred to as “early millennium era”.

Generation Katniss were the elementary schoolers during Bush’s second term (2005-2008) which can commonly be referred to as “McBling era” and teens during Obama’s second term (2013-2016) which can commonly be referred to as “Vine/EDM Era.”


Echo Boomers were 4-13 during the release of Windows 95, which revolutionized the way we use the internet.

Generation Katniss were 4-13 during the release of the IPhone, which revolutionized the way we use our mobile devices.


Echo Boomers are the main 90s kids and the main 2000s graduates.

Generation Katniss are the main 2000s kids and the main 2010s teens.


Echo Boomers were the last to spend a primarily pre-recession adolescence, as members of Echo Boomers were 17-26 when it started.

Generation Katniss were the last to spend a primarily pre-COVID adolescence, as members of Katniss were 17-26 when it started.


Echo Boomers entered the workforce during the massive economic boom of the late 90s and into the 2000s, right before the Great Recession hit.

Generation Katniss entered the workforce during the longest economic expansion in history which was after the Great Recession ended, and right before the COVID recession started.


Echo Boomers largely came of age during the post-9/11 atmospheric 2000s under the Bush administration and were later struck by the Great Recession/Global Financial Crisis of 2008.

Generation Katniss largely came of age during the tumultuous events of the 2010s under Obama’s second term and later Trump, then were later struck by the COVID-19 Pandemic as well as its economic effects.


Echo Boomers were either the first time voters of the Iraq-focused 2004 election or the first time voters of the recession-focused 2008 election.

Generation Katniss were either the first time voters of the nationalistic/polarizing 2016 election or the first time voters of the COVID-focused/polarizing 2020 election.


Echo Boomers came of age after the Dot Com Bubble began but before the Great Recession ended (2000-2009)

Generation Katniss came of age after the Iraq War ended but before the Afghanistan War ended (2012-2021)


A fictional character that is Echo Boomer is Cady Heron (b.1987) from Mean Girls.

A fictional character that is Gen Katniss is Gregg Heffley (b.1998) from Diary of a Wimpy Kid.


There are obviously outliers. 1982 came of age under Clinton, first time voted in 2000, and were never in high school under Bush, and 1991 came of age under Obama, first time voted in 2012, and were never in high school under Bush’s second term.

1994 came of age under Obama’s first term, were in high school under Bush, and first time voted in 2012, and 2003 came of age under Biden, were never in high school under Obama, and will vote first time in 2024.

However, these years still have some strong traits that pull them back into their cohort. Such as the workforce traits, and still being in elementary school during presidential terms like 1982 being in elementary school under Clinton and 2003 being in elementary school under Bush.


But what about 1992 and 1993? Well, I think they can go into either Echo Boomers or Generation Katniss. They were born after birth rates began to decline but before they fell below 4.0, are 90s/2000s kids hybrids, graduated high school during the 2010s though spent most of their teens in the 2000s, could fight in Iraq, were never in elementary school during either Clinton’s first term or Bush’s second, spent most of their childhood before 9/11, yet spent most of their teens after the recession began and could have even entered the workforce then, etc.


Also they share the same Chinese Zodiac Signs:

Dog: 1982 ~ 1994

Pig: 1983 ~ 1995

Rat: 1984 ~ 1996

Ox: 1985 ~ 1997

Tiger: 1986 ~ 1998

Rabbit: 1987 ~ 1999

Dragon: 1988 ~ 2000

Snake: 1989 ~ 2001

Horse: 1990 ~ 2002

Goat: 1991 ~ 2003

This concept is sort of like my concept of Baby Busters (1958-68) and Core Xers (1969-80).

The idea behind it is what generation most of the parents belonged to: Most Baby Busters had Silent parents, while most Core Xers had Boomer parents - lucky them! - as did, rather obviously, the "Echo Boomers."