Dictionary

Fanny en · PROPN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈfæni/

Meanings

1. A diminutive of the female given name Frances, itself also becoming a given name.
   • "I spose you want to be a cattleboy," drawled the multicolored beard whose name was Carrol Day, a curiously feminine name, thought Martin, not yet acquaintanced with the bearded Marions, Fannys and Abbys of Texas who, saddled by their unthinking mothers with dainty names, built savagely masculine frames of character. 2002, Annie Proulx, That Old Ace in the Hole, →ISBN, page 81:
   • "My name is Frances. Don't call me Fanny!" "Why not?" "Because it's too absurd to be endured! What does the mere sound of Fanny suggest? A flirting dancing creature - plump and fair, and playful and pretty!" 1883, Wilkie Collins, Heart and Science, Chatto and Windus, page 227:
   • They listened to the sound of Fanny’s retreating footsteps. ‘Well, well!’ said Marcus. ‘Oh, take no notice Jess. You know what our Frances Maud is like! It’s nothing to cry about!’ To her humiliation Jessamy found there were tears trickling down her cheeks. ‘Always getting worked up about something, Fanny is.’ – page 105: As she did so Fanny put down her book , stood up and stretched her arms, and at once Jessamy noticed a difference. It was the same Fanny but not the Fanny who climbed trees and tore her frock playing in the garden. It was as though a young lady film had settled over her, neatening her unruly hair, which was tied back with a large black bow, and primly composing her small mouth. 1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 48:

Forms

Deriveds

my aunt Fanny

Descendants

Fanni · Fanny · Fanny · Fanny · Fanny

Translations (5)

fr Fanny (female given name) · de Fanny (female given name) · da Fanny (female given name) · sv Fanny (female given name) · fi Fanni (female given name)