People aren’t happy after realising what babies born after midnight tonight will be called
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Move aside Gen Z and Gen X, because as of Wednesday (1 January) a new generation will be born.
A fresh generation of babies - born between 2025 and 2039 - will begin in the new year, with their parents belonging to either the Millennial generation or Gen Zs - AKA those born between the late 1990s and early 2000s.
It's pretty exciting, as this is the generation that could live into the 22nd century, with one expert even calling them the 'dawn of a new era'.
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The only problem? Not everyone is happy with the name they've been given.
In a recent blog post, demographer and consultant Mark McCrindle 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'.
But what will they be called?
Say hello to Generation Beta. Or Gen B, for short.
McCrindle even believes that the term could actually inspire baby names for the upcoming generation of kids, explaining that he thinks we'll see a colossal surge in babies actually being called 'Beta'.
But people are not impressed, 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.
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."
He went on: "They will likely be the first generation to experience autonomous transportation at scale, wearable health technologies, and immersive virtual environments as standard aspects of daily life.
"Their formative years will be marked by a greater emphasis on personalisation - AI algorithms will tailor their learning, shopping, and social interactions in ways we can only begin to imagine today."