How do you pronounce it? "Ex-ennial" or "Zennial"?

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Dicksnip44@reddit

I was hoping to find a sub for the kids born 98-04 who can’t quite fit with Millennials or Gen Z’s but this is cool too

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Preparation-Logical@reddit (OP)

r/Zillennials

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Kain316@reddit

I think Xennials should be called Gen Y. It never caught on with millenials, anyway.

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LemynLyme101@reddit

ME TOO! anytime i protested against being called a millennial b/c i literally had sex in highschool and owned a beeper, people would think i was crazy. we are totally Gen Y

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Notwastingtimeiswear@reddit

Wait how is having sex in high school indicative of generation

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chyler1397@reddit

That's why the modern generation year gaps span about 15 years. Prolific high schoolers.

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web-slingin@reddit

"Y bother" was the tagline, right? Apt.

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habb@reddit

the thing about millennials? everyone forgot about gen x

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StrawberryForestLady@reddit

Personally, I've been pronouncing "Xennial" as "Zennial" like the "Zzz" in "Xenon" or "Xerox"

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MoulinSarah@reddit

Nooooo we don’t share common ties with Gen Z

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MoulinSarah@reddit

Sounds normal to me, and like it’s a crossover of Gen X and Millennial.

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therealpopkiller@reddit

I get that, but “zennial” is more euphoric and is one fewer syllable. But really, potato, potato

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tynmi39@reddit

You say that but what’s your name for the generation straddling millennials and gen Z? You can’t just act like they don’t exist

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>You can’t just act like they don’t exist Sure I can! But also: zillenials. But also, let them decide. Do they really have as much cultural shearing as we do between X and millennial though? What artefacts, services, technology heavily distinguishes millennials/Y from Gen-Z? Growing up with a smartphone vs a family computer? AR hasn't really been a "thing" except as gimmicks here and there. QR codes? Is their impact really bigger than URL's or barcodes? Is the increase in electric cars or (sometimes hilariously bad) robot automation generational? Is that significant enough stuff to define a notable cusp? Is there something huge that I'm utterly missing? Covid-19?

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tynmi39@reddit

So you want zennials and zillenials? Like that’s not confusing at all…

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Apprehensive_Hat8986@reddit

Is the difference between million, billion, and trillion confusing? How about etymology and entomology? Forty and fourteen? Do we really want to already start into being "too old to handle words"?

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therealpopkiller@reddit

I don’t know, let them decide

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ternal_sideviound@reddit

Ok, but that sound would need to be spelled "exennial".

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MoulinSarah@reddit

It’s not spelled Gen Ex though. It’s a play on the word.

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ternal_sideviound@reddit

Yeah I get that but I'm talking about using existing spelling rules. Imo the written word would need to be either hyphenated "x-ennial" like x-ray or just spelled out phonetically as "exennial", otherwise 99% of the crowd is going to read it the same way we learned to read xylophone, xenophobia and Xena Warrior Princess. I too pronounce the X sound in speech, as opposed to the Z sound. But if you ask me how to read the written word "Xennial" it begins with a Z sound, bc xylophones.

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sdavidson0819@reddit

You're thinking about it wrong! Words in English tend to be pronounced according to etymology rather than spelling. Otherwise bough, tough, bought, and draught would sound much more similar. The significant similarity between xylophone, xenophobia, Xerox, etc is not the spelling; it's that they have Greek origins. Xennial originated as a portmanteau, and its pronunciation should reflect that.

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alonefrown@reddit

Well, firstly, it's not a rule. [Xray (unhyphenated)](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Xray) and [xed (as in marked with an 'x'](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/x) both begin with x and are pronounced with the "ex" phoneme. Probably there are more but I'm not going to look them up. These exceptions serve as evidence to the contrary of your point. Also, you don't seem to take into account that the term Xennial is a portmanteau, and I'd argue that that means it should carry over the sound from its parent words. I'm not saying I'm right and you're wrong, but I think there's a compelling reason to pronounce it with the "x" sound from "Gen X" intact. But we should also both admit that this could be one of those gif moments where there is no single correct pronunciation.

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ternal_sideviound@reddit

Why do we need to admit it's a gif moment? We pronounce the word the same way. I *do* pronounce it with the "ex" phoneme intact. That's why I spell it X-ennial, because I want people to read the sound I meant to communicate, and not the sound "zennial".

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alonefrown@reddit

Well, it's obviously a gif moment. Have you read the comments here? People are split on how to pronounce it. You can spell the word how you like, but I don't think it's going to catch on. I think it's going to remain being spelled without a hyphen, and continue having two pronunciations.

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ternal_sideviound@reddit

You're a gif moment

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alonefrown@reddit

Your mom's a gif moment.

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ulfniu@reddit

Preach!

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shroomsAndWrstershir@reddit

So then spell it that way.

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tynmi39@reddit

Worse than the lost generation or boomers? At least we have an -ennial generation name

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therealpopkiller@reddit

Huh?

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carmelainparis@reddit

Strong agree. Ex-ennial sounds like we used to be ennials. Like on LinkedIn when people say they used to work somewhere by putting ex in fron of the company name, like “ex-Amazon.”

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therealpopkiller@reddit

As 90s as the X-Ennials would be, doesn’t X-actly roll off the tongue

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carmelainparis@reddit

Yeah personally I love the “zennial” pronunciation and I use it all the time.

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billyjack669@reddit

Doesn't it makes more sense if you're a hybrid (Gen)"X" (Mill)"ennial"?

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therealpopkiller@reddit

Sort of, but it’s clumsier, plus we’re used to a solo X before a vowel making a Z sound (Xerox, xenon, Xerses, as mentioned above). I’m trying to think of another portmanteau that isn’t beholden to the pronunciation of its original parts but my brain is stalling out

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Apprehensive_Hat8986@reddit

"ex... (long pause to breathe in)... ZEE-nile" Looks like you've all been saying it wrong all along. Generally Y people do is because they don't understand the origin of a word. Like the [jpeg interchange format]().

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raspberrybee@reddit

Or Xena, Warrior Princess.

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acatwithnoname@reddit

That is how the person that coined the term pronounces it according to Merriam-Webster.

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Tarbal81@reddit

Respectfully and literally not attacking you or my favorite dictionary, but that's just wrong lol.

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acatwithnoname@reddit

They are already being called Zillennials 🤷‍♀️

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heresmytwopence@reddit

Correct, but it appears that someone on Wikipedia is trying to claim “Zennial” as the name for the Millennial-Gen Z cutoff microgeneration. It simply won’t fly.

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Tarbal81@reddit

Oh that's...awful.

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billyjack669@reddit

GIF has entered the chat.

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youfrickinguy@reddit

Yeah well, Wilhite is wrong too.

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Morley_Lives@reddit

Choosy moms choose GIF.

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Portlander@reddit

![gif](giphy|67Y7o2u8qMrl0vwItF|downsized)

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texas-playdohs@reddit

Ugh, gif me a break.

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eatsleepdive@reddit

Break me off a piece of that kit Kat bar

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Portlander@reddit

![gif](giphy|l46CgCfGD1Teu1WUM)

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texas-playdohs@reddit

Look at those wacky arms!

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WHRocks@reddit

LOL, finally. Somebody that understands!

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Lindsayr28@reddit

I literally just thought the same thing. I wonder what the alignment is on both sides. I kind of think you’re just going to pronounce it how you first did and both sides have valid supporting reasons so 🤷🏻‍♀️

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acatwithnoname@reddit

ha, they actually mention that in the article!

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kevms@reddit

Interesting. I pronounce it “Ex-Ennial”. If you pronounce it as “Zennial”, it almost sounds like someone in between a Millennial and Gen Z. Ex-ennial makes it clear that you’re in between Generation X and Millennials.

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KarlHungus311@reddit

No. It just make you sound like a former ennial.

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keep_it_kayfabe@reddit

That's why I pronounce it more like "eggs-zennial".

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Blazenkks@reddit

Yeah I prefer Egs-zennial too. And just say it fast without any break and accent the 1st syllable. Egz’zennial.

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GreenOnionCrusader@reddit

We are all former sooner or later.

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Farewellandadieu@reddit

Xennials know the difference though, and that's what matters. Are there any words that start with X where you'd pronounce it as "ex-whatever"? Besides the obvious X-ray.

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youfrickinguy@reddit

You mean “zray”?

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goofytigre@reddit

I believe those are Zillennials. It makes sense to pronounce it Ex-ennial, but spoken out loud it sounds kind of clunky.

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andiinAms@reddit

Yeah same.

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AldusPrime@reddit

Exactial. Zennial. Just like the X in Xerox.

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Sunnyvale_squatter@reddit

This is how it made sense in my head

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prettyminotaur@reddit

This is the way.

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SweaterWeather4Ever@reddit

Copy that.

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HereInTheRuin@reddit

This shouldn't even be a question considering it's a fairly new term and the person who coined it is very clear how it is pronounced

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brightandgreen@reddit

I'm an xennial and my kids a zillennial, so those are too close together if I don't do the hard x of Gen X in my xennial.

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Your_Daddy_@reddit

As "Zennial" - like Xavier Roberts

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Apt_5@reddit

I can distinctly hear the narrator of a Cabbage Patch commercial pronouncing his name as “Ex-zavier”. Charles Xavier from X Men is another “Ex-zavier” I grew up with.

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Your_Daddy_@reddit

Hmm - there is a street near my house called Xavier - everyone pronounce is as "Zavier" - but have heard it called Ex-avier. I think the Z sound is what its supposed to be though.

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Apt_5@reddit

Not Z because it’s combining Gen X w/ Millennial. Not Gen Z. The letter X and distinguishing it is kinda pivotal. And I wouldn’t go by locals’ pronunciation as a guide to correctness- have you heard how Coloradans pronounce Buena Vista? lol

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Your_Daddy_@reddit

I'm from Colorado - and its got a Spanish pronunciation.

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Apt_5@reddit

No, it doesn’t flow but I don’t think that’s really a criteria for words 😉 It conveys its concept pronounced that way, though. I thought it was a native litmus test to know that it’s pronounced “byoo-na” vista. Counter to what anyone who is familiar with Spanish would intuit.

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Your_Daddy_@reddit

Boo-wen-a-veesta..

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Apt_5@reddit

I know how the Spanish would be pronounced. [I’m talking about this.](https://buenavistacolorado.org/history/#:~:text=How%20do%20you%20say%20Buena,ever%20since%20it%20was%20founded.) What part of Colorado are you from?

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Your_Daddy_@reddit

Interesting, I have never heard it’s pronunciation debated. I grew up in Denver, still live in the metro area. Family ancestry goes back several generation in New Mexico, southern Colorado. Yourself?

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Apt_5@reddit

Not the same but similar.

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Murky_Permission_822@reddit

I pronounce it like you do. I only very recently learned that "Zillenials" exist and TBH it irrationally pissed me off bc it felt like Xennial erasure. Those kids can't come up with anything original, everything's a sample or a reboot! 👵🏽

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AndromedaGreen@reddit

I pronounce the X, because it’s the X from Generation X: (Generation) X + (Mill)ennial = X ennial I think Zennial sounds like it should be the Millennial/Gen Z combo group. But overall I agree with the other person that says Oregon Trail Generation.

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amopdx@reddit

I also say x - ennial due to the he origin of the x.

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jennyrules@reddit

Hard agree.

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Sic-Bern@reddit

This is how I’ve been reading it to myself. When I heard someone pronounce it with a Z I was glad I never said it out loud.

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Mantorok_@reddit

Yup, this is how I see it as well

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GinchAnon@reddit

>I think Zennial sounds like it should be the Millennial/Gen Z combo group. It is! And that is a microgen as well.

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-worryaboutyourself-@reddit

I’ve heard the ne microgen as zillennial

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alonefrown@reddit

[It's both](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zillennials).

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MoistCabbage1@reddit

Yes, this

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ItsDarwinMan82@reddit

Same here.

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FionaGoodeEnough@reddit

Exactly.

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No-Championship-8677@reddit

I also pronounce the X

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yikesonbikes1230@reddit

This is correct!

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alonefrown@reddit

[It’s Zillennial or Zennial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zillennials?wprov=sfti1).

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VioletVenable@reddit

Ditto on both counts.

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Top_Confection_5629@reddit

I identify as Oregon Trail Generation, personally.

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Shelbysgirl@reddit

We didn’t have the Oregon trail in Canada. We played another game on these weird Icomm computers designed for schools. It was a math game like the sims. I think it was called mathville. I was obsessed.

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MozzarellaFitzgerald@reddit

We had North West Fur Trade on the Unisys Icon computers. I think the concept was similar.

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Shelbysgirl@reddit

That sounds fun!!!

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jessek@reddit

We had Oregon Trail but the first one I played at school was a bootleg version someone had made in Basic. Gameplay was pretty similar, except the graphics were pretty crude.

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azazel-13@reddit

You missed out. No greater pain than reading a game loss through the text of "You have died of dysentery!

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Shelbysgirl@reddit

Instead I got the satisfaction of totalling my bill at the grocery store in Mathville lol. Of course Canada lol

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Preparation-Logical@reddit (OP)

I had to play that on a damn Apple II, which is all our poor school had, already considered super old in '95, where the arrow keys on the keyboard were not arranged in the _|_ pattern, but rather [all in one line ](https://i0.wp.com/applerescueofdenver.com/wp-content/uploads/m0487-parts-1.jpg?fit=900%2C675&ssl=1) to the right of the space bar. Never once beat the game, and I remember being super frustrated because that arrow key layout made it basically impossible, other than super rare dumb luck, to hunt successfully and kill anything actually helpful.

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Significant-Ring5503@reddit

We just got the card game, and honestly I feel like it's virtually impossible to win. Hey, the trail's harsh!

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krstldwn@reddit

I homeruled the card game. Next town you get to, all the dead come back into game as a new character that you picked up at the local saloon, D&D style. you have to role-play with silly voices. It was perfect.

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Significant-Ring5503@reddit

Love this! For a 2 player game, we've discussed taking out some of the snake bite/dysentery cards, they literally kill us every time! but I'm a stickler for rules

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krstldwn@reddit

See, rules are just guidelines for me 😆

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Star_Pen80@reddit

I have the switch game.. it's fun!

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930reef@reddit

But you can still hear the weird kathunk/empty ring of those keyboard keys, amirite?

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Traditional_Entry183@reddit

I had no idea Oregon Trail existed until I was about 30 though, lol. My school was poor and our few computers were black and white and probably from the 70s.

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Specialist-Fill24@reddit

Your great great grandparents would be pissed, if they hadn't died of dysentery just before the Colorado River.

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ElectricSnowBunny@reddit

And they would slap you for having 500 bullets and 1 spare part.

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Yojimboroll@reddit

999lbs of buffalo meat motherfuckers. I can live through anything. Always ford the river damnit

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prettyminotaur@reddit

You can't carry it all back to the wagon! Best to stick to rabbits and squirrels.

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Enigmaam@reddit

I like to call myself a Goonie.

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dragonbliss@reddit

Zennial - like xylophone

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Jem-The-Misfit@reddit

![gif](giphy|a4F1cZzHID4as)

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nvcr_intern@reddit

Like zennial. It had never occurred to me to do it any other way. Words that start with an X have the Z sound. It would have to be written X-ennial to say the letter X.

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tynmi39@reddit

But it’s gen X, not gen Z, it makes no sense

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tynmi39@reddit

People, it can’t be pronounced zennial because that’s how you pronounce the generation that straddles millennials and gen Z. It’s literally that simple. If you think that’s how you pronounce this sub then you simply wrong

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MsJenX@reddit

With an Ex in front

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ThingsOfThatNaychah@reddit

I pronounce it ex-ennial, but I prefer "cusper", as used by Natasha Lyonne's character in *Poker Face*. "Zennial" sounds more like the transition between millennial and gen-Z I pronounce "gif" with a hard g sound since the g stands for "graphic". I also say PEE-can instead of "pee-KHAAAAAAN" for pecan, and "sure bet" instead of "sure Bert" for sherbet.

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jennyrules@reddit

I was with you til the "sure bet"- that's a no from me.

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ThingsOfThatNaychah@reddit

It comes out more like "sure bit", if that changes anything. I confess, though, I'll say "Sure, Bert" in Ernie's voice once in a while for a giggle. I always thought adding the extra R sound was like saying "warsh" instead of "wash". My dad says "warsh" and "sure Bert" while my mom says "wash" and "sure bit". Opposites attract, I suppose. 🙂

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alonefrown@reddit

And nay-chah instead of nay-churr, for nature, apparently.

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nitrot150@reddit

😳

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oh_wll_whtvr_nvrmnd@reddit

It's pronounced Generation Y ("why")

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todayIsinlgehandedly@reddit

I don’t know and at this point I’m afraid to ask.

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jessie_ma_13@reddit

I say Ex-ennial, because isn’t Zennial also a thing for our younger Millennial friends?

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meaninglessoracular@reddit

but zennial makes it sound like a blend of gen z and millenial..

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El_tacocabra@reddit

I say “X-EH-NO” like the Dad in My Big Fat Greek Wedding

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Tarbal81@reddit

Well we take the "X" from Gen X, so I say "Eks-cennial"

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can-I-buy-a-vowell@reddit

I say Zenial

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hwhaleshark@reddit

I was saying Boo-urns

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Cer-rific_43@reddit

I just had this conversation with my husband yesterday morning!

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BreakfastBeerz@reddit

I've always pronounced it Zennial.... but now that I think about it, it's a middle ground between Gen X and Millennial, so I think the "correct" way "x ennial"

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dreamyduskywing@reddit

There’s also a similar-sounding micro generation: Zillennials.

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Preparation-Logical@reddit (OP)

This seemed to be the minority opinion at first, but I think as time went on more people backed this pronunciation up! I'm leaning toward it now as it makes logical sense, but I doubt I'll ever be able to stop my brain from seeing the word, and giving me "Zennial" in my head.

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WhatTheCluck802@reddit

So glad you’ve seen the light!

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ulfniu@reddit

Welcome, friend!

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Apt_5@reddit

Bingo!

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420247Tye@reddit

Think "Xena" latin/Greek origin... You got it! But, hospitable or destroyer of worlds...? You be the judge

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UX-Edu@reddit

I like the Latin pronunciation, so I go with Ekkees-ennials.

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maryummy@reddit

Ex-ennial... since it's a portmanteau of Gen X and millennial.

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DutchCarriageDriver@reddit

Schee-nnial

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Sad_Struggle_8131@reddit

Those of whose who were hooked on phonics would pronounce it Zennial.

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Spagh-ed-di@reddit

Xena Warrior Princess.

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Dmarie723@reddit

I’ve actually been saying Xzennial

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selfmadetrader@reddit

X like in Xerox... "zehn ee al"

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Intelligent-Kiwi-574@reddit

Zennial

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JDNB82@reddit

Who says "Ex-ennial"?

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Preparation-Logical@reddit (OP)

A fair number of us, it would seem

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Desireei@reddit

I say Ex-ennial, I guess because it has the same number of syllables as Millenial.

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jessek@reddit

zennial, like xerox.

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UnderstandingThick59@reddit

100% "ex-ennial" Words starting with X aren't always pronounced with a 'z'. Example: Professor Charles Xavier ("X-avier")

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nvcr_intern@reddit

The name Xavier is normally pronounced with the Z sound. Professor X is just "xtra" with how he says it.

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KarlHungus311@reddit

Xavier University would like to have a talk with you

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senshi_of_love@reddit

Shit like this is why Oregon Trail has always been the superior name. I’d even favor reclaiming Gen Y or the ultra gatekeepy “carter babies”

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Lobanium@reddit

zee-knee-uhl

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01kickassius10@reddit

I pronounce it the same as I pronounce Xavier

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urine-monkey@reddit

I like "Ex-ennial." Like we were all considered millennials (and Xers) until we realized we were actually our own generation.

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ManateeFlamingo@reddit

Zennial

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Atillion@reddit

We grew up with Xena, The Warrior Princess, I vote we go that way.

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nounthennumbers@reddit

It’s pronounced gif

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Lindsayr28@reddit

I’ve been doing ex-ennial because it’s a generation x hybrid. My guess is this is going to be a gif/jif situation where both sides have valid reasons and everyone says it how they originally did!

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Preparation-Logical@reddit (OP)

That's looking to be the case judging by the comments!

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DizzySpinningDie@reddit

Zennial like we pronounce many words that begin with X. Oregon Trail generation. I also accept Jordan Catalano Generation.

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alonefrown@reddit

Are any of those other words a portmanteau like Xennial is? Given how we pronounce Gen X, i think there’s a solid argument to be made for the “Ex-ennial” pronunciation.

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DizzySpinningDie@reddit

It's a compound word, but the closest I can think of is "Xenophobia."

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alonefrown@reddit

Neither Xennial nor xenophobia are compound words. Xennial is a [portmanteau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blend_word). Xenophobia is [basically an import of two Greek words](https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/a-short-history-of-xenophobia) but not a compound word. Xenophobia and may other words (but not all!) that begin with x have the pronunciation like in xylophone. However my challenge was to find a portmanteau among them. I believe that Xennial is unique in this regard.

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DizzySpinningDie@reddit

I wasn't saying Xennial was the compound word. I have a thing about being misunderstood.

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alonefrown@reddit

Gotcha :)

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schtickyfingers@reddit

He can’t read!

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DizzySpinningDie@reddit

Truth. But this article is great: https://slate.com/human-interest/2011/10/generation-catalano-the-generation-stuck-between-gen-x-and-the-millennials.html

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billyjack669@reddit

Christennial? I had no idea.

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WhatTheCluck802@reddit

EXennial is the only correct option here.

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Deazul@reddit

Zen and the art of being in your 40's

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James_Vaga_Bond@reddit

Maybe it should have been millexial to avoid this conflict

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AdelleDeWitt@reddit

Ex-ennial

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KarlHungus311@reddit

“Zennial” is the only correct pronunciation. If you disagree, take it up with the element, Xenon.

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VectorB@reddit

Same way as Xena Warrior Princess

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Miserable-Flight6272@reddit

Z Idiots?

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CallidoraBlack@reddit

X-ennial. So it's not confusing because the transitionals between us and Gen Z are called Zillennials and it could be confusing when spoken.

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liminalwaffling@reddit

i say Ex-ennial because Zennial ruins the entire point of the portmanteau, also because Zillenials (millennial/gen-z) is also a discreet microgeneration and Zennial sounds too similar.

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0le_Hickory@reddit

Since its a combo of X and millennial I go with the hard X

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Rstar2247@reddit

You pronounce it "Gen X"

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TamatoaZ03h1ny@reddit

Zennial like Xerox, because Ex-ennial sounds like I’m being a douchebag. Pronunciation isn’t hard. Why complicate it?

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randofirstblud@reddit

This is like finding out half the world wipes its ass standing up and half wipes sitting down and not having a clue that the half you’re on even existed.

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sovereignsekte@reddit

Ex-zeninial. Best of both ~~worlds~~ words.

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Sunnyvale_squatter@reddit

THIS IS GOING TO TEAR US APART!!! Lol

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2bad-2care@reddit

Everyone! We're a fantastic generation with countess shared interests, memories and philosophies. Let's not have a simple issue of pronunciation be the thing that divides us into splintered factions! Also, it's "ex-ennial".

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930reef@reddit

Until I found this sub, I was calling us Xlennials

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Agreeable-Rutabaga-2@reddit

Shouldn't Zennial be for the other side of the spectrum? The youts?

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ALL2HUMAN_69@reddit

Are you people reading my mind? I was just wondering this.

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Roseheath22@reddit

I don’t think I’ve ever said it out loud because I’m not sure what the right option is. I guess in my head I kind of say “kzennial” or “zennial” but never “ex-ennial”. I prefer the Oregon Trail Generation.

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JayEllGii@reddit

I’ve assumed it’s “Ex-ennial” because of the Gen X side of the bridge.

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shroomsAndWrstershir@reddit

Spelling it as X-ennial instead would eliminate the confusion. We'd then get to be X-men, too.

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Apt_5@reddit

Charles Xavier would agree! Since that’s how you say his surname and all

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shroomsAndWrstershir@reddit

Excellent example! I can't believe I didn't think of that.

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Outdoorcatskillbirds@reddit

Zen-nials. Adding the X sound feels clunky for example the names Xenia and Xander typically don’t say x sound for them.

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Apt_5@reddit

Those names aren’t a combination or bridge between two things. Xennial IS, Gen X and Millenial. Distinct ideas, distinct sounds.

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Outdoorcatskillbirds@reddit

Ok

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dstarpro@reddit

Ex-ennial

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clintecker@reddit

Xennials and Zellennials are two very different things

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allinthetiming@reddit

Like a waitress in a southern diner, « Eggs any y’all? »

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Daniel_Molloy@reddit

Z

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regalfronde@reddit

Ex-Zennial Maybe I’m dumb.

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Evanescent_Starfish9@reddit

My brain tells me to pronounce it "Zennial," too. Think of other words: Xanadu, or xenophobe.  Interestingly, there's another word, xenial. It has to do with hospitality towards strangers, esp. people who come from distant places. Check out the definition. [https://www.dictionary.com/browse/xenial](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/xenial)

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socialcommentary2000@reddit

Z as in Zebra.

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YogurtclosetDull2380@reddit

I'm not adding a syllable, I'll tell you that.

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texas-playdohs@reddit

You better.

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CuriousCleaver@reddit

I have no idea why, but this is cracking me up. Like, that's just a step too far.

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Starr-Bugg@reddit

Ex-ennial

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Traditional_Entry183@reddit

Zee-nee-ull

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Star_Pen80@reddit

I use Ex-ennial for me. (1980) I use Zennial for my child. (1999)

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Steal-Your-Face77@reddit

"Ex" for me since it's a play on Gen X and Millennial

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Reignbow87@reddit

I’m not the grammar cops and there is actually no official authority or body who determines the whatswhosits of words so you can really say anyway you want. I pronounce it “zen-e-ul”

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Suspiciousspiders@reddit

I thought it was x-ennial, since it combines gen x and millennial. Zennial sounds like it combines millennial and gen z

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mnemonicer22@reddit

Z. I am a rare and delicate flower.

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Anarch-ish@reddit

X-ennial makes more sense in the context of this group but I still read it as zennial

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AtrumAequitas@reddit

I pronounce “Xennial” with a Z sound. I pronounce “Zennial” (millennial/GenZ hybrid) the same way. I am an agent of chaos.

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bangarangbonzai@reddit

Z.

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FionaGoodeEnough@reddit

Ckzennial.

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kg51113@reddit

Zennial...following the same pattern as xylophone.

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diypizza@reddit

Zillenial

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kg51113@reddit

Wrong micro generation.

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sravll@reddit

Exennial

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piscian19@reddit

I mean Gavin rossdale was pretty explicit on this "everything zen, everything zen". I don't think theres any question here.

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alonefrown@reddit

He was indeed explicit in this, but you got his answer exactly wrong. He asked the question “Everything Zen?” His answer was “I don’t think so.”

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MoulinSarah@reddit

Ex-ennial because we overlap with Gen X, not Gen Z.

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Preparation-Logical@reddit (OP)

Alright well there's one vote for this pronunciation, though it appears you are in the minority

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MoulinSarah@reddit

Not really, most people pronounce it X-ennial.

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alonefrown@reddit

I pronounce it "Ex-ennial", because Zennial spelled with a Z and pronounced like it's spelled is a different thing (they're our comrades on the other side of the bookend to core Millenials).

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theforestbather@reddit

I thought they were referred to as Zillennials?

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alonefrown@reddit

Yup, [it’s both](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zillennials?wprov=sfti1).

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RogueAOV@reddit

Xennials combine the slacker ideals of Gen-X and we grew up with the internet/technology so we are all about the Ohms. So "zen"nial it is for me.

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heresmytwopence@reddit

I don’t say ex-ylophone…

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CletusVanDamnit@reddit

"Zennial"

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ihatepalmtrees@reddit

It’s zen. No other way is correct

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Miss-Figgy@reddit

I personally say "Ex-ennial"

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LemynLyme101@reddit

X is pronounced with a Z like Xavier is Zavier not EXavier

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Substantial-Flow-199@reddit

We have a shitty generation name.

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AggregatedMolecules@reddit

I always read it with the “z” sound. As pointed out elsewhere, I don’t want to add syllables. I also think X always makes the z sound when it is the first letter of a word. Xylophone, xenophobia, etc.

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vixisgoodenough@reddit

I pronounce the X because I'm from the Gen X part.

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Shelbysgirl@reddit

Xennial like all the Xanax we need making it this far hahaha

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rebamericana@reddit

As an "X" ennial who never played Oregon Trail and identifies more with Gen X, I prefer this pronunciation.

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SnooSnooSnuSnu@reddit

Ecks-ennial

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Seven22am@reddit

“It’s like X wasn’t given enough to do so they had to promise it more. Okay you don’t start a lot of words but we’ll give you a co-starring role tic tac toe. And you will be associated with hugs and kisses. And you will mark the spot. And you will make writing Christmas easier. And incidentally you will start xylophone and xennial. Are you happy, you fucking X!?”

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millera9@reddit

My brain always says “Zennial” but it’s definitely supposed to be “Ex-ennial”, as others have said. The key is that I never say the word out loud to anyone, so it doesn’t really matter.

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