Quinceañero is the Spanish masculine counterpart of quinceañera for a boy’s 15th-birthday celebration. The word uses the same quince-based reference to 15 while changing the gendered ending.
Quinceañera traditions historically center on girls, but boys may also have a 15th-birthday celebration. In some communities, this is called a quinceañero, while families may simply describe it as a fifteenth-birthday party. The format can include formal clothing, family speeches, music, dancing, and religious elements.
Terminology varies by country and household. Quinceañero can identify the male celebrant, the event, or both, just as quinceañera can refer to the female celebrant or her celebration. English-language sources may use phrases such as “male quinceañera,” although the Spanish masculine term is more precise.
The word should not be confused with chambelán. A chambelán is typically a male attendant in a quinceañera court, not the boy whose birthday is being celebrated. Similarly, a padrino is a sponsor or godparent-like role, not the honoree.