What is the name of the first decade in a century?

  • 80s: the "Eighties"
  • 90s: the "Nineties"
  • 00s: the ???

For that matter, what is the second decade called? The "tens" just doesn't sound right.


Those living in early twentieth century called the years 1900-1909 "The Aughts".

This Wikipedia article provides some more context.


I've heard "the noughties" (easy transition from "nineties") and "the two-thousands" (literal interpretation of "2000s") for the decade just gone. I think this is something that doesn't have a real answer as it appears to change with each century and is different depending on your location.

Wikipedia's entry for the 2000s echoes this inability for people to come up with a single name for this decade let alone all "first decades of a century".


In my circle I have usually heard the previous decade referred to as "the two-thousands". As to whether it might be called that in 30 years or so, it's hard to tell. I agree that "the tens" sounds weird, but isn't that because you'd say "the teens" instead?