Gmail as an unexpected age marker

Gen Zer at work, after giving them my personal email address that is my real name @ gmail with no additional letters or numbers: “How did you get an email address like that??”

And I had to explain when Gmail first came out it was invitation only but I got one from a friend early on and my name was still available and oh my god I’m old

Edit: the invitation process explanation is why I felt old. She had never heard before you had to have an invitation to Gmail back in the day.

I have a common name but this wasn’t my first email address I ever had. Just the one I’m still using.