Quinceañera is the Spanish term commonly used for the girl being honored at the celebration.
The word is feminine because it refers to a girl or young woman reaching her fifteenth birthday. In everyday English, quinceañera also commonly names the party itself, so the meaning depends on context. The accent mark over the ñ is part of the Spanish spelling.
Other terms identify different participants. A dama is traditionally a female attendant, a chambelán is traditionally a male attendant, and a madrina is a sponsor or honored supporter. These words should not be used as interchangeable names for the celebrant.
Language and customs vary across communities. Some people use quince, quince años, or fiesta de quince años for the event, while quinceañera most directly identifies the person being celebrated. The shared theme is the fifteenth-birthday milestone.