What is the male counterpart of the quinceañera tradition called?

The male counterpart of a quinceañera is called a quinceañero.

Quinceañero follows the same Spanish word-building pattern as quinceañera, changing the ending to the masculine form. It may describe a boy celebrating his fifteenth birthday or, more broadly, the celebration associated with that milestone. The term is less universally familiar because the quinceañera tradition has historically focused more heavily on girls.

A quinceañero should not be confused with a chambelán. A chambelán is typically a male attendant or escort in the court of a quinceañera, while the quinceañero is the central celebrant. Likewise, padrino means godfather or sponsor and describes a role in supporting the event, not the birthday celebrant.

Contemporary families adapt the tradition in many ways. Some hold quinceañeras for girls, quinceañeros for boys, or joint celebrations. The format can be religious, secular, formal, casual, or culturally blended while retaining the fifteenth-birthday milestone.