Generation Alpha is usually defined as people born from 2010 to 2024. That’s the range set by Australian researcher Mark McCrindle, who coined the name. Many US sources start Gen Alpha in 2013 instead, because the widely used Pew Research Center definition of Gen Z runs to 2012. Either way, the oldest Gen Alphas are in their early-to-mid teens in 2026, and the youngest are toddlers.
Here’s where the two definitions come from, how old Gen Alpha is now, and how every generation’s birth years line up.
Gen Alpha Years: The Two Common Definitions
| Definition | Birth years | Age range in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| McCrindle (who named the generation) | 2010 to 2024 | 2 to 16 |
| Common US usage, following Pew’s Gen Z end date | 2013 to 2024 (some say 2025) | 2 to 13 |
Ages are the age each birth year reaches during 2026.
Generation boundaries aren’t official. They’re conventions set by researchers and adopted by media and marketers, so different sources can disagree by a few years. If you were born between 2010 and 2012, you may be counted as the youngest of Gen Z or the oldest of Gen Alpha depending on who you ask.
Why It’s Called “Alpha”
McCrindle picked the name after the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season used up the alphabetical list of storm names and switched to Greek letters. Having used X, Y (Millennials) and Z, it made sense to start again at the beginning of the Greek alphabet rather than go back to A. The generation after Alpha is therefore Generation Beta, born from 2025.
Gen Alpha by the Numbers
- Size: according to McCrindle, more than 2.8 million Gen Alphas were born globally every week, and the complete generation numbers almost 2 billion people, the largest generation in history.
- Screen age: Gen Alpha’s first birth year, 2010, is the year the iPad launched and Instagram was created. They’re the first generation to grow up with touchscreens from birth.
- Fully 21st century: Gen Alpha is the first generation born entirely in the 21st century.
All Generations and Their Birth Years
| Generation | Birth years | Age range in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Silent Generation | 1928 to 1945 | 81 to 98 |
| Baby Boomers | 1946 to 1964 | 62 to 80 |
| Generation X | 1965 to 1980 | 46 to 61 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) | 1981 to 1996 | 30 to 45 |
| Generation Z | 1997 to 2012 | 14 to 29 |
| Generation Alpha | 2010 or 2013 to 2024 | 2 to 16 |
| Generation Beta | 2025 to 2039 | 0 to 1 so far |
Silent Generation to Gen Z follow the Pew Research Center’s definitions; Alpha and Beta follow McCrindle.
Not sure where you fit, especially if you were born on a boundary year? Enter your date of birth in the free What Generation Am I? calculator.
Gen Alpha vs Gen Z: What’s the Difference?
The simplest way to put it: Gen Z grew up as the internet and smartphones became normal, while Gen Alpha has never known a world without them. Many Gen Zs remember getting their first phone; many Gen Alphas used a tablet before they could read. Gen Alpha’s childhood was also shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, which moved school and socialising online for a time, and by the arrival of voice assistants and AI tools in everyday life.
Most Gen Alphas are the children of Millennials, while Gen Z’s parents are mostly Gen X.
Frequently Asked Questions
What years are Gen Alpha?
Most commonly 2010 to 2024, the range set by Mark McCrindle, who named the generation. Many US sources use 2013 to 2024 so that it follows Pew’s definition of Gen Z, which ends in 2012.
Is 2012 Gen Z or Gen Alpha?
It depends on the definition. Under Pew’s ranges, 2012 is the last year of Gen Z. Under McCrindle’s, it’s an early Gen Alpha year.
How old is the oldest Gen Alpha?
Under the 2010 start date, the oldest Gen Alphas turn 16 in 2026. Under the 2013 start date, they turn 13.
What generation comes after Gen Alpha?
Generation Beta, which McCrindle defines as people born from 2025 to 2039.
Find your own generation, and see where boundary years fall, with the free What Generation Am I? calculator.
Sources: McCrindle, “Understanding Generation Alpha”; Pew Research Center, “Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins”.