According to Pew Research Center, anyone born between 1981 and 1996 is considered a Millennial, and anyone born from 1997 onward is part of a new generation. However, Pew Research Center decided to use 1996 as the last birth year for Millennials for their future work. Therefore, anyone born in 1996 is considered a Millennial according to Pew Research Center.

On the other hand, according to Jason Dorsey, Gen Z starts with those born in approximately 1996. The oldest members of this generation are now entering their 20s. The U.S. Census designates Generation Z as "the youngest generation with adult members (born 1997 to 2013)". The Center for Generational Kinetics defines the birth years for Gen Z as being 1996 to the present.

Therefore, depending on the source, someone born in 1996 can be considered either a Millennial or a member of Gen Z.