[-]

GoatGoatPowerRangers@reddit (OP)

I wasn't aware it was a big topic. I'll Google it, thanks.

[-]

Mememememememememine@reddit

I also wasn’t aware. I say Zennial but I think a blend of Gen Z and Millennials also is a thing so I’m torn.

[-]

wait_ichangedmymind@reddit

I say Zennial because ex-email is just cumbersome, and call the younger group Zillenials to differentiate.

I saw someone refer to them as MZ’s. Kinda fits but I’ve only seen it once.

[-]

NightWriter500@reddit

Cumbersome? It’s four syllables! Same as the word Beautiful! Do you never call your significant other beautiful? Because it’s too cumbersome?

[-]

No-Banana247@reddit

It's 2 am where I'm at, I can't tell if you are being snarky. Beautiful is 3 syllables unless you have a wild accent.

[-]

NightWriter500@reddit

I mean, definitely occupying some snark. But I also honestly pronounce this word Bee-you-ti-full. I think that’s fairly common?

[-]

Where I'm at certain accents would say bee-you-ti-ful but in my accent its only 3. I had to unlearn my regional accent when I went to military broadcaster school and would only use 3 syllables - byoo-tih-ful.

Regardless your point stands! I have never said Xennial outloud to anyone but my sister and neither of us knew which way to say it! I like (e) X-ennial better than Zennial but will avoid saying it IRL.

[-]

Negative-Wrap95@reddit

Zen vs Zill

Two different things

[-]

alehanjro2017@reddit

It's okay homie. You didn't know. I say ex-ennial. That's what I'm rolling with.

[-]

NightWriter500@reddit

Same. I’m so happy to see other people on my side of the street this time.

[-]

RealSinnSage@reddit

i also was unaware and have also been wondering

[-]

donutseason@reddit

No don’t the Xs are faring far better this time!

[-]

sevalle13@reddit

There's a search bar at the top of reddit that will find all the results for you. I highly recommend using it in any subreddit before posting to see if the information you're looking for has already been discussed

[-]

fluffhead711@reddit

lol look at this nerd that regularly uses the reddit search bar.

[-]

toomuchtv987@reddit

Someone brings this up weekly on this sub.

[-]

bh4th@reddit

Hhhenial, as in the original Spanish.

[-]

Express_Signal_8828@reddit

So Genial? 😃

[-]

grantnaps@reddit

This is correct. Like Mehico.

[-]

muddycurve424@reddit

Xennial with a z sound like xylophone or xerox or xenophobia or Xander of Buffy fame.

[-]

HeyokaJester@reddit

Ex-ennial, I'm not zen enough to be a zennial. It also wouldn't make sense to me to not pronounce the X properly.

[-]

rylab@reddit

I'm in denial, which rhymes with Xennial

[-]

MurrayGrande@reddit

X gon give it to ya

[-]

TinyGIR@reddit

I know the sub generation with gen Z is Zillennials, and for that reason I can't in good conscience pronounce our sub generation with a Z. Exennial all th way.

[-]

2close4missles@reddit

The argument to distinguish from the Zillenials reminds of a famous quote “why should I have to change? He’s the one who sucks!”

We were here first! They can go make sure they distinguish themselves from US!

Zen- all the way baby

[-]

So-Called_Lunatic@reddit

Calling yourself a EX-ennial sounds like it's something you used to be. It's also a mouthful. Is there any word other than X-ray that starts with an X, and makes the X pronunciation?

[-]

NightWriter500@reddit

Existential. Yeah, it starts with an E, but that’s because it’s a real word. The made-up word Xennial starts with an X because of Gen-X, so if that’s a word, so is X-Men. And X-Men is cooler than any of these things.

[-]

squarebodynewb@reddit

X mas

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So-Called_Lunatic@reddit

That's an abbreviation

[-]

squarebodynewb@reddit

Wow, i didnt know! /s

It was a joke!

[-]

Vorpal_Bunny19@reddit

I was going with it’s pronounced like X because it’s clearly a portmanteau between (Gen) X and Millennial.

[-]

So-Called_Lunatic@reddit

Don't you think ZENnial sounds a whole lot cooler though?

[-]

Character-Solution-7@reddit

Nah. Sounds like it’s trying too hard to be cool

[-]

facesnorth@reddit

If anything, that's a solid reason to pronounce it as Zennials.

[-]

TinyGIR@reddit

...why? We're mixed with gen X.

[-]

facesnorth@reddit

Since they use Zillennials, there's no confusion that it refers to them. Ex-ennials is an extra syllable and doesn't roll off the tongue as easily.

[-]

TinyGIR@reddit

But why adopt the Z sound for the X then?

[-]

facesnorth@reddit

Xena? Xylophone? It's not adopting anything, it's just saying it correctly.

[-]

TinyGIR@reddit

Yeah, but my point is, why should be saddle ourselves with the Z pronunciation when it can cause ambiguity with the other end of the millennial spectrum? So what if it's an extra syllable, let's embrace the ECKS sound.

[-]

facesnorth@reddit

I consider myself both Gen X and Xennial simultaneously, so I don't need to include the sound of the X when I say Xennial, because it just feels forced and not natural. Everyone I speak to understands if the subject comes up. I've never heard a single person say Ex-ennials and it would sound awkward if they did.

[-]

TinyGIR@reddit

Agree to disagree then.

[-]

scovizzle@reddit

Agree that you're wrong.

[-]

facesnorth@reddit

Fair

[-]

TinyGIR@reddit

You do you, but I'd rather make it obvious what we are.

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KW5625@reddit

Zillenial sounds so dumb

Zennial sounds better

We are "X" and "ennial"

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One_Mission9448@reddit

Agree… it’s too damn close.

[-]

lavasca@reddit

This!

[-]

hooplehead69@reddit

Right?!? It’s pronounced Gen-X, not Gen-“Zuh.”

Also Millenia + Gen Z = Zillenial. Are we really supposed to have them sound exactly the same and somehow know the difference?

[-]

tronassembled@reddit

This is the way

[-]

classless_classic@reddit

gif

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1ndomitablespirit@reddit

X starting a word is almost always pronounced with a zee sound. Xylophone, Xavier, Xenon, etc

[-]

Lughaidh_@reddit

https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/descriptive-vs-prescriptive-defining-lexicography

[-]

KW5625@reddit

not if the word is a portmanteau, then the sounds are retained...

gen X
mill ENNIAL

X-ennial

[-]

PinkFloydDeadhead@reddit

Maybe it's like Xuxa. Shennial?

[-]

NearbyPerspective397@reddit

"Zennial". Unless you're one of those Americans who pronounces Xavier as "ex-zayvierr".

[-]

Lughaidh_@reddit

The famous Generation Zzz

[-]

SeaSkimmer2@reddit

“Zennial”, like “Xylophone”.

There are some people who claim that since “Xennial” is a portmanteau of “X” and “Millenial”, that it must be pronounced “X-Ennial”, otherwise you lose the identity of the Gen X part of it. But that’s simply false because the “X” is still present and foremost in the label.

If you want to say “X-Ennial”, then spell it “X-Ennial” instead of “Xennial”…Conjoined means the “X” takes the “Z” sound.

[-]

Lughaidh_@reddit

What you’re describing is prescriptive and not how language works. Writing exists to support the spoken language. It’s the generation between Gen X and Millennials; Xennial is pronounced with an X sound like the name of the letter. The same sound in Gen X.

[-]

Clear_Tangerine5110@reddit

There are some people who claim that since “Xennial” is a portmanteau of “X” and “Millenial”, that it must be pronounced “X-Ennial”, otherwise you lose the identity of the Gen X part of it. But that’s simply false because the “X” is still present and foremost in the label.

Yeah, well run it by Stephen Earl Wilhite, the inventor of the GIF file who insists it's pronounced "JIF", even though the G stands for "Graphic".

[-]

Riala4@reddit

I say gif...jif is peanut butter...

[-]

Tamuzz@reddit

If is washing up liquid where I come from

[-]

dimesinger@reddit

G standing for graphics is irrelevant. Acronyms don’t work that way, they stand on their own. Look no further than scuba, laser, awol, or jpeg.

G in English has two ways of being pronounced, with sufficient precedent for either being applied to “gif”. Gin and gift are the go-to examples.

Either way is linguistically absolutely fine and SEW chose the soft G. Say it however you want but the other side isn’t wrong.

[-]

Clear_Tangerine5110@reddit

gif

[-]

dimesinger@reddit

gif

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facesnorth@reddit

I say Zennial and JIF. Both make perfect sense.

[-]

SeaSkimmer2@reddit

He’s correct, it is absolutely “Jif”. 😄

gif

[-]

Apprehensive_Hat8986@reddit

He's not a linguist. He's a programmer. Skills on one area do not translate into skills in another.

Much like how there's nothing more irritating than a physicist encountering a new subject. Except it's basically any expert is prone to thinking that they know more than they do outside of their field. Compound that with misjudging what others "should" know about their own field (or any other) and experts outside of their arcs can be dangerously over-confident.

[-]

dimesinger@reddit

When did he claim to be a linguistics expert? People who invent things get to name them. Pronouncing a new word that has two potential, legitimate options isn’t a “skill” it’s a choice.

[-]

CaptServo@reddit

that's because that's the right way to say it

[-]

Clear_Tangerine5110@reddit

Meh....not really.

[-]

mousee3176@reddit

https://i.redd.it/4bv3u7nlc01h1.gif

[-]

facesnorth@reddit

Agreed. X-ennial sounds ignorant. It could also mean "I used to be an ennial".

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lopachilla@reddit

Wait, is this not comprised of formal Ennials? No wonder it’s been so confusing!

[-]

saltyhashbrowns@reddit

Preach!

[-]

coccyxdynia@reddit

Mechanics of the English language? Pretty sure English has no rules, you make it up as you go.

[-]

Ltimbo@reddit

I totally agree, we spelled the name wrong in the first place. From now on we are X-Ennials!

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Borgmeister@reddit

I've never actually verbally articulated it to be honest.

[-]

pixelpheasant@reddit

Xena Warrior Princess set the precedent as /zen-knee-al/ -- if you don't agree, you didn't actually live thru the appropriate culture of the 90s

If the X-ers get pedantic about the "X", well, they can bang on like a Boomer in the genX sub

#sorryNotSorry

[-]

KW5625@reddit

X-Files ,X-Games,Xtreme, Degeneration X, Chicago White SOX hats, DMX, Excite.com, the letter X was used in anything and everything that was marketed to us in the 1990’s

from: u/Boring_Pace5158

[-]

pixelpheasant@reddit

:face palm:

X-files and Degeneration X are /eks/ because it's a stand alone letter. Same for DMX

Extreme, phonetically /eks-treme/ gives X-games and Xteme the /eks/, ditto for Excite

Chicago (and Boston) are Socks (Sox)

Xennial is a word, or it would be X-nial. It's modeled after Bennifer -- Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez

[-]

crazycatlady331@reddit

Zennial.

The other end of the millennial generation (gen Z cuspers) is called Zillennial. IIRC their subreddit is called that as well.

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Lughaidh_@reddit

We’re famously the generation between Millennials and Gen Zzz

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Ltimbo@reddit

Yeah well Zillenials aren’t a real generation… but we are.

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facesnorth@reddit

That makes no sense. There's a cusp between every generation.

[-]

Blonde_Vampire_1984@reddit

I completely believe that there is a cusp between millennials and Gen Z, but I think the changes were less dramatic than they were between Gen X and millennials.

Probably a true Gen Z doesn’t remember what life was like before social media existed. For them it has always been around them. A Zillenial barely remembers when YouTube was invented.

[-]

Ltimbo@reddit

I’m being a smartass. Just play along.

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facesnorth@reddit

Okay. You're right, they aren't.

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Blonde_Vampire_1984@reddit

I think the transition between millennials and Gen z was less abrupt.

The transition time between Gen X and millennials was full of rapid technological changes.

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Ltimbo@reddit

Not only that but rapid cultural changes. We grew up with pop music replacing rock and roll and the end of the Cold War.

[-]

no1nos@reddit

We were born in peak disco. Pop was still strong in the 80s, but we came of age in a renaissance of rock from metal to alt and grunge. We are the last great generation of rock. Later millennials had some good emo and garage rock, but that was rock's terminal lucidity. It's been 20 years since rock was driving culture

[-]

Orlando_Native@reddit

They should be called millennialZ. They are at the end of millenial and beginning of Z. Why would the Z go in the front of that mash up?!?!

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Congregator@reddit

Zillenial’s? You mean “boomer junior”

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Apprehensive_Hat8986@reddit

Just for silly buggers, I cover my bases and pronounce it

Ecks-zennial

It tickles me.

[-]

Petraaki@reddit

I do this, but pronounce it super quick so it's still 3 syllables. It starts like Xylophone (which some people pronounce zylophone, apparently)

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pixelpheasant@reddit

Is that like, b. 2001?

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crazycatlady331@reddit

I think it's like 93-99.

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Ok-Astronomer-6318@reddit

All day, all daay!

And Sarah Stankorb who coined the term maintains it’s pronounced Zennial…so there’s that

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artfully_dejected@reddit

This, but only in my head because I go out of my way to avoid saying it aloud. Problem solved.

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Illustrious-Lead-960@reddit

“Janevsky”. All the letter are silent. Never mind.

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kronik419@reddit

Xennial like Xanax.

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Lughaidh_@reddit

So Gen-X is pronounced like “Gen Zzz”?

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space_wiener@reddit

Same. The hard X version takes too much energy

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facesnorth@reddit

Xactly

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CaliClash@reddit

Zactly

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AquariusRising1983@reddit

gif

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iolmao@reddit

I'm Italian and is totally fine for me pronounce it

KSENNIAL

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hotdogjumpingfrog1@reddit

Zennial. Come on yall. Is it called an X - yliphon? Or x - anax?. “Let’s do some x anny bars”

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ohmbrew@reddit

It's pronounced "thermometer"

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Steel1000@reddit

The answer is to add a R like our teachers did with Warshington.

Like zenrenielle. Now it doesn’t matter because we just make up sounds for shits and giggles.

Off to warsh the dishes!

[-]

gbroon@reddit

It's a whole gif thing. Even if someone proved without a shadow of a doubt why it's pronounced one way there would still be arguments about it.

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Striking-Access-236@reddit

ksˈɛn.i.əl

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likesblackcoffeebest@reddit

X-ennual. The first half is not called Gen zzzzz, it's called GenX.

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Tamuzz@reddit

This has always been my reasoning

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Soft-Caterpillar-618@reddit

Team X-ennial!

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stargarnet79@reddit

There are dozens of us!!!

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Ozmorty@reddit

Hosers, the lot of you. Pronounce josers.

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ainsophur@reddit

The X-tecals you say?

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AdditionalMustard@reddit

That sounds like something you name your surgically removed testicles. I like it.

[-]

yuckysmurf@reddit

Yes! Saying it with a “z” sound doesnt make sense because the origin is literally the letter “x”.

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scovizzle@reddit

There's no hyphen. It's not x-ennial.

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Baked_Potato_732@reddit

Xylophone and Xanax have entered the chat.

[-]

KW5625@reddit

Xylophone is Z as it's a portmanteau with the first sound being from "Xylon" (wood) pronounced "ZY-lon".

Xennial is a portmanteau with the first sound being the X "Eks" of Gen X.

Xanax is a made up word.

[-]

yuckysmurf@reddit

LOL! I understand that the letter “x” is sometimes pronounced as “z”. What I’m saying is that the term “xennial” is derived from the term “generation x”, where the “x” is pronounced as “ex”. Thus, “xennial” would be pronounced as “ex-ennial”. It’s not generation xylophone.

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7DollarsOfHoobastanq@reddit

Never even thought to not pronounce it with a Z sound. Now that I’m trying out the X version I kinda like it.

[-]

KW5625@reddit

We are part Gen X, not Gen Z... so I have never said Zen-nial

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zerocoolforschool@reddit

This is just a good way to sound stupid when you say it out loud to someone.

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megatronics420@reddit

How do you pronounce xylophone?

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A5CH3NT3@reddit

Is Xylophone a portmanteau of a word the is pronounced "Ex" and another word?

[-]

megatronics420@reddit

No. Assuming xylophone is a portmanteau is dumb right? Just like assuming xennial is a portmanteau makes no sense

[-]

A5CH3NT3@reddit

You...don't think Xennial is a portmanteau of Gen X and Millennial? How exactly do you suppose the word came to be?

[-]

megatronics420@reddit

You are correct. I was thinking portmanteau was a word like x-ray

Still stands that your statement is making using a false equivalent to make a strawman

[-]

A5CH3NT3@reddit

Except not really. It being a portmanteau is important. "blend word, lexical blend, or simply a blend, is a word formed by combining the meanings and parts of the sounds of two or more words"

Even if you discount the fact that these words take from both and having a 'Z' sound comes from nowhere in either word, English is not a consistent language when it comes to spelling. X+vowel generally being pronounced with a 'Z' is a pattern, not a rule.

Not to mention it's easily confused with a very similar word, Ziillenial so there's a practical argument for Ex-ennial as well.

Now, you can pronounce it how you want, but "xylophone" is not an argument for Zennial vs Ex-ennial. Not more so than "graphical" being an argument from "GIF vs JIF" since it's just not how the language works.

[-]

megatronics420@reddit

Isn't the purpose of a portmandeau to save time?

I would assume for most, they would not add a syllable to pronounce smog as smah-og or brunch as broo-unch

So seems crazy to lengthen Xeninnial to ex-ennial

[-]

vaguity@reddit

How do you pronounce “Gen X”?

[-]

megatronics420@reddit

So you dont know hiw to pronounce xylophone. Got it.

[-]

GoatGoatPowerRangers@reddit (OP)

This was how I always pronounced it, too.

[-]

Soszai@reddit

I’ve been using the Z pronunciation, but this does make sense… people hearing Xennial for the first time would have a better understanding of what it is with this pronunciation

[-]

SerenityN00w@reddit

I've never heard the word. I've only seen it.

It's always been X-ennial in my head for the reason you mentioned.

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mitrie@reddit

This is my opinion as well. I believe we're in the minority.

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say_what_again_mfr@reddit

There’s literally dozens of us.

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Reasonable_Cut2094@reddit

Dozens!

[-]

blamberr@reddit

gif

[-]

Bindlestiff34@reddit

Nice Jif -OP

[-]

the-cookie-momster@reddit

I pronounce it "Gif-ennial" of course.

[-]

JmeJV@reddit

👏

[-]

frenchinhalerbought@reddit

gif

[-]

Clawman1701@reddit

Xennial = Zen as in Xena, Xanax, etc. I have literally never heard anyone say it any other way. Only tonight have I seen otherwise. (With a bunch of copycat posts recently with the same subject) I mean if one wants to make it harder to say, that’s on you to say otherwise, lol. I’ll take the easier route and the way I’ve been hearing it for years.

[-]

vilsash@reddit

I know the Xennials with Z sounds better but that makes more sense for people who are caught between Gen Z and Millennials.

[-]

ajaxandstuff@reddit

Don’t we have the term xennial because we don’t fit fully into Gen X or Gen Y? Like we didn’t have cell phones till we were adults, internet after high school type thing? Do later Millennials/Early Gen Z have a period of time that doesn’t match up with the rest of the generation? Otherwise why would they need a sub category at all?

[-]

sravll@reddit

Like Xavier

[-]

Due-Blackberry8056@reddit

I am not going to say this.

[-]

DragonTartare@reddit

I say it kind of like egz-zennial, the same way that I would say the name Xavier.

(Although I just googled it out of curiosity, and apparently some people pronounce that name "zay-vee-er", so there goes that comparison.)

[-]

Jupitersd2017@reddit

I was unaware there was any other way to say Xavier except with the Z sound. Til

[-]

Relevant_Mouse_4860@reddit

I was always told it’s with the Z sound and any other way is wrong

[-]

Apprehensive_Hat8986@reddit

Correct. It's french and pronounce something like

zah-vee-eh

However Ecks-A-vee-or is frequent in North America because of Xmen comics cartoons pronouncing it as such.

[-]

Relevant_Mouse_4860@reddit

Just to add to the confusion there is the Xzavier version out there too.

[-]

DragonTartare@reddit

Surprisingly, I don't think I've ever known a Xander, but since I've heard the name "Zander" spoken before, I guess I might default to that. Every Xavier I've ever known has pronounced it with the X sound in front, though.

[-]

Stunning-Sample7600@reddit

Xander Harris - on Buffy.

[-]

DragonTartare@reddit

That's likely where I heard the name. I wasn't a big Buffy fan, but I did watch it on occasion.

[-]

AquariusRising1983@reddit

I pronounce Xander like "Zander" and Xennial with the "z" sound for X just like "Xanax." Honestly never even occurred to me to pronounce it a different way.

[-]

DarkAngela12@reddit

I say it "Zander" because of the Buffy character... which is also why I pronounce it "Zennial".

[-]

not-vera-creative@reddit

Eggs-avier

[-]

TurtlesEatCake@reddit

My Gen-X older brother is named Xavier, pronounced Zavier. Three syllables. Not Ex-avier, which is four syllables.

[-]

gemmath@reddit

This is how I say it as well!

[-]

Background-Bend2877@reddit

Exactly what I do as well.

[-]

admode1982@reddit

Zennial.

[-]

dimesinger@reddit

It is, can, and ought to be both/either.

I say ecks-ennial because we say the X in Gen X and that’s clarifying, especially in conversation when otherwise people would hear a Z. It also avoids confusion in relation to Gen Z or Zilllennials. To me these are both clear and sufficient reasons.

But hey lots of X words sans hyphen get the Z treatment so it makes sense that option would be normal to many folks.

Tomato Tomato. Let’s all be friends.

[-]

KW5625@reddit

Xtreme... Ekstreme or Zetreme?
X Games... Eks Games or Ze Games?
Gen X... Gen Eks or Gen Ze?

Xennial... Eksennial or Zennial

Xennial is not a normal word, it's a portmanteau of Gen X and Millenial, so the X remains an "Eks" before the "ennial"

[-]

dimesinger@reddit

I agree. That’s why I choose to say it that way.

I’m just saying we should ratify both pronunciations, accept them both moving forward, and stop having this argument all the time on this sub.

[-]

KW5625@reddit

That would be nice... but some Gen Z - Millenials already use Zennial for themselves.
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Zennial

They have their own debate between "Zen-nial" and "Zee-nnial"

[-]

dimesinger@reddit

Yes. I said as much in my post above when I mentioned the thing about talking avoiding confusion.

We already agree on our preferred way and why, you don’t need to prove it to me.

But it’s too late. The “Xennial” with a Z crowd is here. They are not gonna agree. Better to accept both ways than argue back and forth with no attainable outcome.

[-]

KW5625@reddit

Sorry I wasn't trying to prove anything, I was just talking

[-]

dimesinger@reddit

Ah all good! Sorry as well.

I was just meaning to emphasize that you and I are on the same page.

[-]

Durakus@reddit

Any word that begins with X in the English language usually is a Z sound.

[-]

davidsdurions@reddit

This topic is going to tear us apart!

[-]

CantaloupeAsleep502@reddit

Ex ennial

[-]

scovizzle@reddit

I pronounce it the correct way.

"Zennial"

[-]

raikougal@reddit

I pronounce it zennial.

[-]

crmd@reddit

X-ennial is a portmanteau of Gen-X and Millennial, ie 1975-1980.

Or, those of us who pronounce it Z-ennial, as a portmanteau of Gen Z and Millennial, ie in between ~1995-2000.

[-]

Ok-Astronomer-6318@reddit

They’re actually called Zillenials. Fwiw, the woman who coined the term says it’s pronounced Zennial

[-]

KW5625@reddit

Both are listed on Wikipedia

"Zillennials, occasionally called Zennials, are a social cohort encompassing people born on the cusp of or during the later years of the Millennial generation and the early years of Generation Z."

[-]

facesnorth@reddit

Wouldn't be the first time bad information was added to Wikipedia. This should be corrected to "not to be confused with Zennials".

[-]

KW5625@reddit

It's Wikipedia, edit as you wish

[-]

facesnorth@reddit

Added to to-do list.

[-]

KW5625@reddit

Cool. Let me know when you do it so I can change it back LOL.

[-]

AquariusRising1983@reddit

They are actually Z-illenials, not Z-ennials, so the additional "l"s make it pretty clear which one you're talking about whether you pronounce Xennial "Zennial" or "Ecksennial"

[-]

_Internet_Hugs_@reddit

I've never actually said it out loud. I say I'm the Star Wars Generation (born after A New Hope but before Return of the Jedi.)

I'm a visual person, so I never really thought about how it's pronounced.

[-]

curi0uslystr0ng@reddit

The only way to pronounce it that makes sense to me is ex-annal. We are part Gen X l, not Gen Z.

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TheWorldIsNotOkay@reddit

It's spelled "xennial", not "x-ennial". So like xylophone, not like x-ray.

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ProgExMo@reddit

GenY

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KW5625@reddit

That's the first I remember being called

"Gen Why?"

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GoatGoatPowerRangers@reddit (OP)

FWIW, I always pronounced it "ex-ennial." But someone recently convinced me to start saying "zennial," but it felt weird. This conversation has radicalized me to my original position of "ex-ennial," for the reasons of 1) clear portmantua and 2) "zennial" overlaps too much with Gen Z.

Finally, as someone else mentioned in a comment, we grew up with everything being X-this and X-that, from X-Men to X-Games to Xbox. Our generation -- even more so than Gen X before us -- was the "everything starts with a hard X generation." So I don't find it hard to pronounce our generation name as "ex-ennial."

If I'm in the minority on that, so be it.

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Stock_Currency@reddit

X-ennial to differentiate from Zillennial.

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facesnorth@reddit

There's no confusion between Zennial and Zillennial.

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AquariusRising1983@reddit

Personally I found the whole "-lliennial" vs "-ennial" enough to differentiate.

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SeaSkimmer2@reddit

Zennial also differentiates from Zillenial.

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shutterslappens@reddit

We were here first, so I respectfully disagree.

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Acrobatic_Show8919@reddit

Do you pronounce Gen X as Gen Zen? Probably not.

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affectionateanarchy8@reddit

X ennial

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tres-vip@reddit

Looks like we are the only ones, lol. TEAM EX ENNIAL!!!!

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JDnChgo@reddit

Finally, the correct answer appears

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sobeitharry@reddit

Xanax. Xenon. Xenophobia. Xerox.

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GoatGoatPowerRangers@reddit (OP)

Professor Charles Xavier?

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dimesinger@reddit

Irrelevant

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Recent_Permit2653@reddit

Zennial is what I’ve always done. Never thought to see if there’s a “correct” way to say it! You do you, y’all, and don’t apologize for it

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saltyhashbrowns@reddit

Zennial like Xavier.

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Initial_Entrance9548@reddit

X-ennial here.

I need to know birth years and the correlation between xennial pronunciation vs how many spaces after a period.

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realauthormattjanak@reddit

With a Z sound.

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tMoneyMoney@reddit

Wouldn’t that make more sense if it was between Gen Z and Millennial? I’m sticking to Ex-ennial.

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Negative-Wrap95@reddit

They're Zillennials.

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Initial_Entrance9548@reddit

Now people are just making up words!

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realauthormattjanak@reddit

Shun the non-believer.

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sandshark68@reddit

Like Xena Princess Warrior

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mousee3176@reddit

.... Isn't it warrior princess

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zerocoolforschool@reddit

Did anyone ever stop to ask Xena if she considered herself a warrior first or a princess first???

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nobearable@reddit

🤣

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burjja@reddit

Xena: Warrior Princess.

Part of me worries that some in here are going around saying X-ena.

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KW5625@reddit

Xena is not a portmanteau

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lsp2005@reddit

X ennial. Z is for the other end of the millennial generation.

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donutseason@reddit

I got downvoted and told it makes no sense last time we did this, but the millennial-z cusp does use zennial so I say it with x and im not stopping. 😆 ✌🏽

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Congregator@reddit

Zennial.

I was born in the 80’s and know what my xylophone sounds like

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RunRickeyRun@reddit

EX-ennial. Don’t want any phonetic association with those Gen Z loZerZ.

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mom_bombadill@reddit

Zen

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KW5625@reddit

It is Ex-ennial because it is a portmanteau word.

"A portmanteau is a word formed by blending the sounds and meanings of two or more other words:"

Gen "X" and Mill "ennial" = Ex-ennial

Zennial is a mix of Gen Z and Millenial.

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BinocularDisparity@reddit

Wait…. People actually say Ex-ennial?

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PhatBoyFlim@reddit

I have to disagree with the “zennial” crowd here. You have to respect the portmanteau’s intent. A bridge between Gen X and Millennials is X-ennial. Yes it might be “right” to say “zennial” but it’s not. Now, the “zillenial” is the correct one because it honours the “Z” from Gen Z.

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Ok-Astronomer-6318@reddit

The woman who coined the term would disagree…

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DnDchord@reddit

Yeah, well the guy who invented the gif pronounced it 'jiff'. I don't go by that either.

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PhatBoyFlim@reddit

🙄

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prodigaldummy@reddit

Xennial is a portmanteau of Generation X and Millennial, and because we are between the two, it should be pronounced “ecks-ennial”.

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lostatsea_again@reddit

Me? Zennial, for the last 10 years.

But now I’ve been convinced that I’m wrong.

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ZeldaHylia@reddit

It’s xennial. Zen.

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Notchersfireroad@reddit

My head says zennial but my heart says EX ennial.

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LordFardbottom@reddit

I don't think I would ever say it out loud.

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Gian_Luck_Pickerd@reddit

X like Xtreme or X-Games

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nellienuke@reddit

Zennial

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StreetCarp665@reddit

"Zenniel".

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SeaSkimmer2@reddit

The majority has spoken.

Zennial.

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GoldenC0mpany@reddit

X marks the spot.

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pls_send_caffeine@reddit

I petition that we all start spelling it X-ennial. It's the only way to make the reference to Gen X and the pronunciation align. Who's with me?!?!

gif

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herseyhawkins33@reddit

"Zennial" absolutely sounds better, but unfortunately "Ex-ennial" is the correct pronunciation since the micro generation zennial (millennial/Gen z cuspers) exists as well.

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SeaSkimmer2@reddit

That micro generation is “Zillenial”, not “Zennial”. So saying “zennial” is ok.

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herseyhawkins33@reddit

Google it, they go by both.

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SeaSkimmer2@reddit

That’s like them taking credit for reinventing the wheel. They’re still wrong.

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Ok-Chemist-6781@reddit

Oregon Trail generation.

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ActuallyAlexander@reddit

Eggzennial

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themole316@reddit

gif

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ValonMuadib@reddit

Ksennial. Since I am German. Zennial would be those born around 2000.

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Knight_thrasher@reddit

Meh whatever

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LilRedForeman@reddit

Generation why

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the_kid1234@reddit

“Oregon Trail Generation”

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Leading-Pickle8813@reddit

Good lord. Do you pronounce it Ex-eena or Zeena. A true Zennial would know.

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RetroBerner@reddit

I just don't say the word IRL.

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drainbamage1011@reddit

"Zennial" rolls off the tongue better but logically "Ex-ennial" makes more sense.

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Traditional_Entry183@reddit

ZEE-NEE-el

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Boring_Pace5158@reddit

X-Files ,X-Games,Xtreme, Degeneration X, Chicago White SOX hats, DMX, Excite.com, the letter X was used in anything and everything that was marketed to us in the 1990’s. While today, X is affiliated with where faith in humanity goes to die. Back in our day, it was affiliated with being cool.

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