The girl celebrated at a quinceañera is traditionally called the quinceañera. In ordinary Spanish usage, the word can identify both the honoree and the celebration connected with her 15th birthday.
The term is feminine because the traditional ceremony developed around a girl’s transition from childhood into young womanhood. The masculine form quinceañero is used for a boy’s comparable celebration, although customs for boys are less uniform.
A quinceañera is not simply another word for every participant. Damas are female attendants, chambelanes are male attendants, and padrinos or madrinas are sponsors or godparents who may help support the event.
Spelling can vary in informal English, especially when the ñ is omitted, but quinceañera is the standard Spanish form. English-language communities also commonly use “quince” as a shortened name for the celebration.