Chambelán is a Spanish word for a male attendant often included in a quinceañera court.
A chambelán may accompany the quinceañera during her entrance, formal dances, photographs, and other parts of the celebration. The plural is chambelanes. Female attendants are commonly called damas, so a traditional court may consist of chambelanes and damas, although modern families can choose different arrangements.
The word is related to the Spanish term for a chamberlain or court attendant. Its use in quinceañera customs reflects the ceremonial and courtly presentation sometimes built into the event. The attendant is not a groom, and the quinceañera is not an engagement or wedding.
Terminology is not completely uniform across the Spanish-speaking world. Some families use English labels such as “escort,” while others omit a formal court altogether. A padrino, by contrast, is generally a godparent or sponsor, often an adult who helps support the celebration, so the two terms should not automatically be treated as synonyms.