Here is a motivation why the object you mention is called 'generator'.
Consider the exponential function for numbers (the algebra for operators is similar but when taking the limits one has to be more careful), for example:
$$
e^{-i a p / \hbar} = \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty} \left(1 + \frac{-i a p / \hbar}{n}\right)^n = \lim_{n \rightarrow \infty} \left[\left(1 + \frac{-i a p / \hbar}{n}\right) \cdot \ldots \cdot \left(1 + \frac{-i a p / \hbar}{n}\right)\right]
$$
One can see this as the term $1+\dfrac{-i a p/\hbar}{n}$ or $1 + \varepsilon \dfrac{-i p}{\hbar}$ (for $\varepsilon = a/n$) is 'generating' the exponential because 'applying' this term 'a large number of times' (in the limit where it becomes infinitesimally small) gives you the original function.
Physically, I would think of the 'operator' $1 + \varepsilon \dfrac{-i p}{\hbar}$ as being an infinitesimally small displacement of size $\varepsilon$ which when successively applied a large ($n \rightarrow \infty$) number of times, 'add up' to the overall translation $a$.