Either way. There is no way anyone with half a brain could credibly maintain that someone born in 1947 and 1960 is of the same generation. All the important, landmark events that define the former, mean nothing to the latter. JFK's assassination, Woodstock, the Democratic convention of 1968, George McGovern, Humphry, etc etc, all belong to a generation that I was just peripherally aware of between naps.
The standard accepted dates for the baby boom generation is 1946- 1965. Just accept the shame of being a boomer and move on.
That's approximately correct. Technically, the date of conception (not birth, birth can actually throw you off!) controls the classification.
We began sending troops home for discharge on May 25, 1945 following the fall of Germany. The Baby Boom Generation includes children conceived on or after sunrise on August 1, 1945 and none of those were born until 1946, the first being born (prematurely) on the afternoon of February 26, 1946 just south of Chatanooga (that's in Tennessee).
So, that's when it began. Now then, all babies conceived between August 1, 1945 and before midnight on September 29, 1960, the night that Chubby Checker danced the Twist on American Bandstand (Dick Clark's TV show) are members of the Baby Boom Generation. So, like you say, the last ones were actually born in 1961, but only the first half of 1961.
I thought a "generation" used to be 25 years (roughly the time span until the kids are born to the preceeding generation).
Also the "Baby boom" refers to a cycle in history when the birthrate in America "exploded". Figures were higher. After the "baby boom" was the "baby bust" (people born then are improperly called Generation X after a book with that same name; some of us prefer Gen-Reagan). Gen-X/Gen-Reagan/The Baby Bust is sandwiched on the other side by another rise in birth rates.
We will always be outnumbered by others in this society.
The "Baby Boom" has dominated the cultural values of this country (and sent them into a nose dive), they dominate the workforce, and now that they are getting older/sicker will be pushing the issues of social security and national healthcare (with the younger generations to pay for them).