The formal celebration for a girl's fifteenth birthday is commonly called a quinceañera.
The word comes from Spanish quince, meaning fifteen, and añera, a feminine form connected with years or age. In everyday use, quinceañera can describe the birthday celebrant, the party, or the broader coming-of-age tradition.
The event is not identical everywhere. Some families emphasize a church service, while others hold a civil ceremony, reception, dance program, or informal family gathering. Modern celebrations may also incorporate themes, choreographed routines, professional photography, and contemporary music.
A frequent mix-up is quinceañero, which is generally the masculine form used for a boy's fifteenth-birthday celebration. English-language coverage sometimes uses “quince” as shorthand, but quinceañera remains the standard name for the traditional celebration described here.