What is the traditional name for the girl honored at a quinceañera?

The girl honored at a quinceañera is traditionally called the quinceañera.

The word is feminine Spanish and is closely connected to quince años, the fifteenth-birthday celebration. In English, the same term is widely used for both the celebrant and the event, which can occasionally create ambiguity in descriptions.

A quinceañera is usually presented as entering a new stage of life. The celebration may include family speeches, a formal entrance, a choreographed dance, and symbolic gifts or rituals. Her parents, grandparents, godparents, and friends may all have ceremonial roles.

The term should not be confused with dama or chambelán. Those words generally identify members of the celebrant’s court or attendants, rather than the person whose birthday is being marked. Regional terminology and the size of the court vary.