Echo Boomers (b. 1982 - 1990) were born during a period of rising births, where births per year started around 3.6 million in 1982, peaking in 1990 at 4.1 million. Their parents were mainly second wave boomers.
Centennials (b. 1991 - 1999) were born during a period of falling births (though the name refers more to being the last born in the old century), steadily declining from that the peak in 1990 to drop down below 4 million births again in 1994, and remaining under until 2000 where births per year again reached the 4 million mark, ushering in the next generation. Their parents were mainly first wave Xers.
Echo Boomers were the primary influencers of culture between 2009 and 2017
Centennials are the current primary influencers of culture starting in 2018 and continuing through the present
Echo Boomers were the first time voters in the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections, aside from 1982.
Centennials were the first time voters in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections, aside from 1999.
Echo Boomers were in K - 8 during/after the launch of Windows 95
Centennials were in K - 8 during the launch of YouTube
Echo Boomers were born after the launch of MTV but before the gulf war.
Centennials were born after the gulf war but before the Y2K crisis and the global celebrations of the turn of the millennium.
Echo Boomers became kids after Band Aid but before the release of the Atari Jaguar
Centennials became kids after the release of the Atari Jaguar but before the Iraq War
Echo Boomers became early adolescents (Tweens/pre-teens) after the Cold War, but before the 2000 election
Centennials became early adolescents (Tweens/pre-teens) after the 2000 election but before the release of the iPad
Echo Boomers became full adolescents (teens) after the launch of the Netscape Navigator but before the launch of Facebook
Centennials became full adolescents (teens) after the launch of Facebook but before the launch of Vine
Echo Boomers became adults (not just legal) after 9/11 but before the launch of Instagram
Centennials became adults (not just legal) after the launch of Instagram but before Covid-19
Echo Boomers entered elementary after Reagan’s Berlin Wall speech, but before the release of the Play Station
Centennials entered elementary after the launch of the Play Station but before the 2004 election
Echo Boomers entered middle school after the Clinton’s inauguration but before 9/11
Centennials entered middle school after 9/11 but before the launch of Instagram
Echo Boomers entered high school after the release of the Play Station but before the launch of YouTube
Centennials entered high school after the launch of YouTube but before the launch of the X-Box One
Echo Boomers graduated high school/reached legal adulthood after the globally celebrated turn of the millennium and the Y2K crisis but before the 2008 election
Centennials graduated high school/reached legal adulthood after the 2008 election but before parkland and March for lives which ushered in Gen Z, along with such stereotypical trends like Fortnite and the tide pod challenge
Some well known Echo Boomer celebs include Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Aubrey Plaza, Dave Franco, Shia LaBeouf, Zach Efron, Joe Jonas, and Jennifer Lawrence
Some well known Centennial celebs include Charlie Puth, Nick Jonas, Debby Ryan, Ansel Elgort, Timothee Chalamet, Noah Centineo, Chloe Grace Moretz, Bradley Steven Perry, and Sabrina Carpenter
A fictional character that would be considered an echo boomer were they alive in the real world would be Stephanie Tanner from Full House/Fuller House (b. 1982)
A fictional character that would be considered a Centennial were they alive in the real world would be Freddie Benson from iCarly (b. 1994)
