What'd You Call Me? Better Not Be 'Boomer'

A rose by any other name is still a rose, right? Maybe not. A recent New York Times story said that people in their 50s actually don't really like being called "boomers" -- a designation they'd like to see kept to those old enough to protest the Vietnam War and attend Woodstock. We asked our Facebook readers what they wanted to be called and loved Coreen Hildebrand's response: "Call me by my name. No labels needed."

Nevertheless, we were interested in whether our readers took exception to being pushed under the "baby boomer" umbrella. Here's what some of you had to say when we asked what we should call you:

We think Jim Britt was smiling when he said, "I like to be called 'Old Curmudgeon.' Get off my lawn!" Maybe not. Jokester Colleen Nichols told us, "Don't call me. . . . I'll call you!" And Stephen Duclos asked, "How about 'Sir?'" Sir may be fine with Duclos, but readers tend to balk at "Ma'am."

Lara Bell invites us to just call her Lara and notes, "Labels are lousy! (Grownup is the worst of 'em.)"

Louise Butler agrees with Ethel Merman and says "Call me Madam." Fred Allen suggested "How about ... Adolescent Seniors? Trainee Seniors? Pre- Seniors?"

Being called a boomer is "fine with me!! and I am 60!!!!" notes Charlene Holbrook and Laureen Lund says boomer is "Fabulous!"

Jamie Wieloch Greco also embraces the term "boomer" and notes, "I was born in 1958 and I like the association, although my formative years were spent more in the 70s and early 80s so I'm not sure I'm in step with the majority. My son used to have an email: HonoraryBoomer, because he's jealous of the music and the culture he missed out on."

Taking a different tack, Michelle Ethridge said to please just call her "ageless" and Tami Rene added, "'Smart' or 'pretty' works for me."

Melanie Springer said she is in her early 60s and "proud to be a baby boomer!" Gina Molitor noted that like it or not, "You're technically a boomer if you are born between 1946 & 1964, at least from a marketing/Madison Ave. perspective."

What do you like to be called? Let us know in comments.