The young woman celebrating her fifteenth birthday is called the quinceañera.
In Spanish, quinceañera is a feminine form connected with quince, meaning 15. The term can refer specifically to the celebrant, although English speakers also commonly use it for the entire celebration. This double use is why descriptions sometimes say that someone “is a quinceañera” and that she “is having a quinceañera.”
The celebrant is usually the central figure in a formal ceremony and reception. She may wear a specially chosen dress, participate in a religious service, receive symbolic gifts, and perform a presentation dance. These elements are not universal, and families often reshape them to reflect personal beliefs and community customs.
The word is not a title with legal force. It is a cultural term whose meaning depends on context: it can identify either the fifteenth-birthday celebrant or the event associated with her.