What Spanish word commonly names the girl being honored at a quinceañera?

The Spanish word that commonly names the girl being honored at a quinceañera is quinceañera.

The word is the feminine form associated with quince, meaning fifteen. In everyday usage, quinceañera can describe both the celebrant and, depending on context, the celebration connected with her fifteenth birthday. English-language communities commonly use the same Spanish term.

The word is sometimes written without the ñ as quinceanera when Spanish keyboard characters are unavailable, but quinceañera is the standard Spanish spelling. The tilde changes the pronunciation of ñ, producing a sound similar to the “ny” in “canyon.”

A related word is quinceañero, generally used for a boy’s fifteenth-birthday celebration or honoree. Regional usage varies, and families may also use ordinary words such as birthday girl or celebrant when speaking English.