Quinceañera is the traditional Spanish term for the girl celebrating her fifteenth birthday.
The word is formed from quince años, or “fifteen years,” and uses a feminine ending. It can describe the celebrant as well as the celebration associated with her milestone birthday.
A related masculine term, quinceañero, is used in some contexts for a boy’s fifteenth-birthday celebration, although the established cultural tradition is most strongly associated with girls. The word madrina instead means godmother or female sponsor, while dama means lady or female attendant.
Because these terms are often used in the same event, they are easy to confuse. The central participant is the quinceañera; members of her court may be called damas and chambelanes, depending on regional usage.