Quinceañero is the Spanish masculine form used for a boy who celebrates a fifteenth-birthday coming-of-age event.
The better-known word quinceañera is feminine and can describe either the girl being honored or the celebration. In communities that adapt the tradition for boys, quinceañero identifies the male honoree. The event may retain familiar elements such as formal clothing, a religious service, family speeches, music, and a choreographed dance.
Practices are not identical across Hispanic communities. Some families use quinceañero for the person but describe the party with a different local expression. Others use quinceañera as a broad name for the entire tradition, regardless of the honoree’s gender. These variations reflect the event’s continuing adaptation rather than a single worldwide rulebook.
Quinceañero should also be distinguished from chambelán, which refers to a male attendant in a court. A quinceañero is the central celebrant, while a chambelán supports the honoree as part of the formal group.