Eighth graders don’t have a special formal title the way high schoolers do. Unlike 9th through 12th graders, who are called freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, 8th grade students are simply called “eighth graders.” That said, there are several informal and developmental labels that apply to them depending on the context.
Why 8th Graders Don’t Have a Special Title
The freshman-through-senior naming system is unique to high school (and college). In elementary and middle school, students are identified by their grade number. A student in 5th grade is a “fifth grader,” a student in 8th grade is an “eighth grader,” and so on. There’s no widely accepted Latin or traditional term that replaces the number.
That said, 8th graders do hold a distinct social position. They’re the oldest students in a middle school, which typically covers grades 6 through 8. In schools structured as junior high schools, which usually include grades 7 and 8 (and sometimes 9), eighth graders may or may not be the most senior class. Either way, they’re often informally called “the seniors of middle school” by students and teachers, though that’s a nickname rather than an official designation.
Other Labels for 8th Graders
Depending on who’s talking and why, eighth graders go by a few other names:
- Early adolescents: Doctors, educators, and developmental psychologists use this term for kids ages 11 to 14. Most 8th graders are 13 or 14, placing them squarely in this category.
- Tweens or young teens: In everyday conversation, 13-year-old eighth graders are sometimes still called tweens, though the term more precisely describes the 10-to-12 range. By 14, most people just say “teenager.”
- Rising freshmen: During the spring semester, 8th graders preparing for high school are often called “rising freshmen” or “incoming freshmen,” especially in school communications about orientation, course selection, and registration.
What They’ll Be Called Next
Once 8th graders move to 9th grade, they officially become freshmen, and the four-year naming system kicks in. A student in 8th grade during the 2025-2026 school year, for example, would enter 9th grade as a freshman in fall 2026, become a sophomore in 2027, a junior in 2028, and graduate as a senior in 2030. That’s the Class of 2030, which is often how students identify themselves well before graduation day.
Equivalent Terms in Other Countries
Outside the United States, students of the same age (roughly 13 to 14) attend what’s broadly called “lower secondary school,” but the specific names vary. In the United Kingdom, these students are in Key Stage 3 at a secondary or comprehensive school. In Canada, they might be in middle school, intermediate school, or junior high, similar to the U.S. system. France places them in collège, while Japan’s equivalent is chugakkou. In none of these countries do students at this level carry a special class-year title like “freshman” or “sophomore.” The numbered or age-based system is the global norm.