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Baby names

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Original poster

Fanny for a girl?

294 replies

LemonZebras · 21/02/2026 16:59

Hi everyone,

I’m expecting a baby girl. My husband is French and is insistent that he wants to name our daughter after his aunt who raised him - Fanny! It’s a common French name, but the baby will be born and raised in the UK.

Am I unreasonable to say no and to worry that she would be bullied or made fun of? My husband thinks I’m overreacting and that the slang word is barely used nowadays and that not many people know of it.

I will be showing him this thread with the different responses.

Thank you

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TheChosenTwo · 21/02/2026 17:12

Obviously you can’t use it as a name.
I have spent a lot of time in France and knew of a few and even I (as a grown adult) giggled a few times when introduced to a Fanny.

101Alsatians · 21/02/2026 17:12

10x worse than Balonz.

TheIceBear · 21/02/2026 17:11

No no no no no

Helpwithdivorce · 21/02/2026 17:11

No. You absolutely can’t. I work in the same department as a Dutch girl called fanny. She gets the piss ripped out of her daily. To her face and behind her back. It’s pretty awful

Astronautsdontcareaboutbeans · 21/02/2026 17:10

GreenEyesIsBack · 21/02/2026 17:09

Balonz would be better.

Yes I like this one. Have you considered it op?

CaptainMyCaptain · 21/02/2026 17:10

Frances
Francesca
Myfanwy

NOT Fanny

FoxtrotOscarFoxtrotOscar · 21/02/2026 17:10

Tu rigoles?

GreenEyesIsBack · 21/02/2026 17:09

Balonz would be better.

ginasevern · 21/02/2026 17:09

I actually really like the name Fanny but I wouldn't use it in a million years. Her life will be made hell. Yes, the slang is probably less common these days but it hasn't disappeared. Basically, don't do it!

Snorlaxo · 21/02/2026 17:09

Does he know that bum bags are called fanny packs in the US? Even if by some miracle someone didn’t know that fanny means vagina, they would equate it with bum.

Astronautsdontcareaboutbeans · 21/02/2026 17:08

I mean they even changed the name of Fanny in the Faraway Tree books to Franny. Even they knew it was ridiculous calling a child a slang name for vulva.

borntooobesilly · 21/02/2026 17:08

Absolutely not…think about the teasing she will get when she is older! It could seriously affect her life mentally.

WhyamIinahandcartandwherearewegoing · 21/02/2026 17:07

FFS do not do this 🤣🤣🤣🤣

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 21/02/2026 17:06

Absolutely not. Ask him how he would have enjoyed school with the name 'Zizi'.

LeftBoobGoneRogue · 21/02/2026 17:06

No, no, no , NO.
She would no doubt be bullied her whole life.
It’s not a nice sounding name either.
How about Francesca, Francoise or Frances, with a nickname of Fran. Quite similar or use as a middle name. I’m guessing that his aunt was probably actually name Francoise.
Im generally not a fan of using nicknames or diminutives on birth certificates. Register the full name and the child has more options when they’re older.

MomoisGogo · 21/02/2026 17:06

I love the name, but you just can't use it in the UK.

Like others have said Frances or onr of its other variants is a good compromise.

HowDoYouSolveAProblemLikeMyRear · 21/02/2026 17:04

The early teenagers and tweens I know know that slang. I'd absolutely avoid it as the name she's known by.

Could it be a middle name? Or a first name but you call her by the middle name? It would be lovely to honour this special aunt.

I rather like the name because of the character in Mansfield Park, but I just wouldn't risk it.

4ad4ever · 21/02/2026 17:03

YANBU to say no. She will 100% get made fun of on a regular basis and other than that I don’t think it’s even a particularly nice name.
In America it’s slang for buttocks so that’s combined. You wouldn’t know when that could be picked up on this side of the world either.

TemporarilyCantDoMyself · 21/02/2026 17:03

Op's DH; non! Mon dieu, tu es devenu fou? NON!

NuffSaidSam · 21/02/2026 17:03

No, it's a very common slang word for vagina.

You mustn't call a baby Vagina no matter who raised you. Maybe Aunt Fanny has a middle name?

123456abcdef · 21/02/2026 17:03

Absolutely not.

ForAzureSeal · 21/02/2026 17:03

Absolutely not. I actually think it's a a lovely name but you just cannot separate it from various slang uses that are not flattering to a little girl. It can variously mean: female genitalia in UK as a whole; a silly person in parts of UK; a bottom in US English.

Dillydollydingdong · 21/02/2026 17:03

No! No! No! That's child cruelty! Poor little girl! 😭

EmpressaurusKitty · 21/02/2026 17:03

Absolutely not. Plus it also means bum in the US, doesn’t it?

EmmasDilemmas · 21/02/2026 17:03

Another very strong no! But if very important to him, can you choose a related name (Frances, Francesca, Fantine) or aunt’s middle name? Only if you also like those names of course.