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Topics: News, Parenting, Pregnancy, World News
Lucy Devine
Babies born after midnight on New Year's Eve will be part of a new generation with a totally different name.
A fresh generation of babies - born between 2025 and 2039 - will begin from 1 January, with their parents belonging to either the Millennial generation or older Gen Zs.
In a recent blog post, demographer and consultant Mark McCrindle called the generation the 'dawn of a new era' and explained that the upcoming generation will 'grow up in a world shaped by breakthroughs in technology, evolving social norms, and an increasing focus on sustainability and global citizenship'.
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Although it's pretty exciting, with this generation set to see the 22nd century, there's one drawback - people aren't so keen on the name they've been given.
Say hello to Generation Beta. Or Gen B, for short.
Unfortunately, people are not impressed with the name, with one social media user writing: "Beta is a terrible name, nobody is calling them that."
And another said: "Beta sounds like they're in a testing phase."
Meanwhile, a third added: "Please they should change it to something meaningful. My children will not be 'beta.'"
One even claimed they wouldn't be having a 'beta baby' because they didn't like the name.
"Beta doesn't sound nice I will not be giving birth to no betas so it's after 2039," they wrote on X.
Another called it 'one of the worst' adding: "I’m sure there must be a worse name for a generation. But BETA has got to be one of the worst."
Generation Beta will come after Generation Alpha - AKA those born between 2010 and 2024 - with Gen Z following behind (those born between 1996 and 2010) and then Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996.
The name 'Generation Beta' is part of a naming convention using the Greek alphabet. It's thought the next generation will be 'Generation Gamma'.
McCrindle also spoke about what the world will be like for the children - and unsurprisingly, a big focus is technology.
"The digital and physical worlds will be seamless," McCrindle added.
"While Generation Alpha [people born between the early 2010s and mid 2020] has experienced the rise of smart technology and artificial intelligence, Generation Beta will live in an era where AI and automation are fully embedded in everyday life - from education and workplaces to healthcare and entertainment."