The Spanish term for the girl being honored at a quinceañera is quinceañera.
The same word is widely used for both the celebrant and the celebration itself, so context determines whether it means the person or the event. In English-language usage, it often names the entire 15th-birthday tradition as well.
The masculine form, quinceañero, can refer to a boy celebrating a comparable 15th birthday. This usage is less globally standardized because quinceañera traditions have historically centered on girls and young women.
The word is connected to quince, meaning “fifteen.” The ñ is important in Spanish spelling and pronunciation; replacing it with n changes the written form of the word, even though English publications sometimes omit the diacritic.