The girl celebrated at a traditional fifteenth-birthday ceremony is called the quinceañera.
The term is feminine Spanish and is formed from quince, meaning “fifteen,” with a feminine ending. In English-language usage, quinceañera can also mean the entire celebration, although the word specifically identifies the birthday girl.
A quinceañera may be accompanied by relatives, friends, and a court of honor. Sponsors or godparents may help pay for particular parts of the event, but they are not the quinceañera herself and have a different role.
Spelling varies in informal English, where quinceanera may appear without the ñ or accent mark. Quinceañera is the standard Spanish spelling. The masculine counterpart, quinceañero, is used for a boy’s comparable celebration in some communities.