The male counterpart term to quinceañera is quinceañero.
Both words derive from quince, the Spanish word for fifteen. Quinceañero is the masculine form and can describe a boy or young man associated with a fifteenth-birthday celebration. Quinceañera is far more familiar internationally because the tradition has historically centered on a girl’s transition into young womanhood.
The masculine term should not be confused with chambelán. A chambelán is usually a male member of the celebrant’s court or an escort, not the celebrant himself. Likewise, a quinceañero is not automatically a sponsor, performer, or member of the court.
Customs differ across countries and families. Some communities have adapted the tradition for boys, while others use broader or locally preferred names for the celebration. The gendered Spanish endings explain why the two forms look similar but identify different people. Accent marks matter in formal spelling: quinceañero and quinceañera are written with ñ.