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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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lauram31 · 22/02/2026 17:30

Uhm that’s a strong no from me 🫣 I think he maybe needs to understand we are living in different ages now , it just isn’t appropriate or fair on that child and she would be ridiculed

Tablesandchairs23 · 22/02/2026 17:23

The kids woykd be ridiculed for life.

OneNewLeader · 22/02/2026 17:20

Don’t fanny about, it’s a hard no.

Calliopespa · 22/02/2026 17:02

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 22/02/2026 16:08

Noooo! About 5% of the time I post without remembering to read the OP's responses and this gets me every single time! Sorry, OP

Show quote history

Moi aussi ...

Calliopespa · 22/02/2026 17:01

EmpressaurusKitty · 22/02/2026 16:43

For all the people who haven’t read all the OP’s posts - you’re out of date. They’re not calling her Fanny.

whoops!

Mind you it isn't as much fun commenting on Louise - unless we go the Loo-wees route ...

Calliopespa · 22/02/2026 17:00

Glendaruel · 21/02/2026 17:27

What about Fanny Virginia? Think it has something memorable about it?

Virginia Fanny has an even better "flow." (Auntie Flo! 😂)

Calliopespa · 22/02/2026 16:58

Tell him the deal is if he gets to call a girl Fanny, you get to name a son Dick.

I do actually quite like the name Fanny, but sadly the association is strong...

Notwiththebullshizz · 22/02/2026 16:47

I work in a school... The word Fanny is definitely still 'live and kicking'. It is entirely unfair to call your child this knowing they will probably get mocked for it. Can you not settle on another, more suitable French name perhaps?

EmpressaurusKitty · 22/02/2026 16:43

For all the people who haven’t read all the OP’s posts - you’re out of date. They’re not calling her Fanny.

Charlotte350 · 22/02/2026 16:29

Please don't! It would be cruel she would get bullied.

CelestialCandyfloss · 22/02/2026 16:22

Omg NO do not call her Fanny! It's still very commonly used as slang in the UK. She will absolutely hate you. To be honest I wouldn't even use it as a middle name.

Mh67 · 22/02/2026 16:18

No no no 🤣🤣🤣in glasgow ya wee fanny is being an idiot. And a name used daily for lady bits 🤣🤣

Jiski · 22/02/2026 16:15

It is used all the time here, and in the US it means bum. It’s a bad idea in most English speaking countries.

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 22/02/2026 16:08

scottishgirl69 · 22/02/2026 15:49

She's already said they have changed their mind and are calling the baby Louise

Noooo! About 5% of the time I post without remembering to read the OP's responses and this gets me every single time! Sorry, OP

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 22/02/2026 16:07

sashh · 21/02/2026 17:22

Ask him about calling her minou (please check the spelling) it's French for kitten or pussy, and pussy in both senses of the word.

It would be cruel to call a child Fanny in the UK.

I was going to suggest you asked him how he would feel about a child in French school being called Foufe or Nenette

SliceofTosst · 22/02/2026 15:58

He obviously doesn't understand how embarrassing this will be for her. It would actually be cruel.

Thissideof40 · 22/02/2026 15:56

Absolutely not! The poor child will be bullied throughout her life.

BareNecessitiesofLife · 22/02/2026 15:51

It’s one step away from child abuse! Absolutely NON!

scottishgirl69 · 22/02/2026 15:49

She's already said they have changed their mind and are calling the baby Louise

Sartre · 22/02/2026 15:47

I’m half French, we don’t have any Fanny’s in the family! Is it really that popular? Couple of Stephanie’s, is it short for that?

Lots of beautiful French names, Fanny is not the one!

Casperroonie · 22/02/2026 15:45

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

No. Don't let him.

Hallionflossie · 22/02/2026 15:45

I know two men called Willie and it’s fine, both over 50 and only silly people would make fun of it at that age. Also know one Dick, reminds me of a Wodehouse character, he would just shrug off teasing - also nearly 60.

Elisirdamour · 22/02/2026 15:44

I knew a lovely man called Dick (now in his 90s) who had to change his name to Richard in the 1980s - it was a crying shame, honestly. I also had a friend at school called Gaye who had to become Gabby as the teasing became intolerable. There was also a Fanny in my sister’s year at school in the 1970s - we were in a very protected, all girl, rural environment - she still changed it to Frankie at some point though. It’s not fair and it’s not right, but sometimes great names just become unusable, sadly.

Isitreallyworthitnow · 22/02/2026 15:44

No, no and no again. Or non non non non non!!!!!

forgotmyusername1 · 22/02/2026 15:42

FourSevenTwo · 21/02/2026 17:14

It's weird that Willies and Dicks fine, but Fanny is seen as such a big issue here.

My 50 year old cousin is called richard
His family call him Dick
When he joined the forces he changed his name to Jack

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