Why are boomers called boomers? [closed]

They didn't boom anything. Their parents did. Shouldn't they instead be called "the boomed"?


Solution 1:

For the same reason teenagers are called teenagers and old-timers, old-timers.

-ers denotes association with a group.

They're the product of the baby boom.

Solution 2:

boom Etymonline

But it could just as well be from boom (n.2) on the notion of "sudden burst." The verbal sense "burst into sudden activity" seems to be slightly older (1871).

baby boom Etymonline

coined 1941, from baby (n.) + boom (n.); derivative baby-boomer (member of the one that began in the U.S. in 1945) is recorded by 1974.

and finally:

boomer OED

boomer = baby boomer

Solution 3:

It's the babies that boomed, hence "baby boom." When we say "economic boom," it's the economy that "booms," not the consumers and investors who contributed to the economic boom happening, its parents, if you will. Anyway, baby boomers are the present-day adults of those booming babies.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/boom?s=t (see definition 3)