AIBU to be surprised that a boy in my 6 year old DD's class........

[ThoughtsPlease]

told her that her shortened name, which she likes to be called, is only 1 letter away from a name for a girl's bottom! I am not sure exactly what term he used, but my DD said this. She then went on to say that she didn't know what name he meant.

It is true, when you shorten her name this is the case, I have no problem with this, I don't really mind that someone has said this to her obviously I knew at some point someone would, but I am surprised that it was from a peer when she was just 6.

Her name is Francesca, and she likes to be called Frannie.

AIBU to be surprised by this from a 6 year old boy?

[ThoughtsPlease]

Yes you see I am not now and don't that I will in the future, be surprised by a whole host of other words, it is just this at this age. It really is not a word I ever use.

And thinking about it, as my DD didn't seem upset really at being told this, I guess perhaps it was presented to her in very matter of fact way rather than a terrible insult.

[IsThisAGoodIdea]

I would consider fanny to be on a par with a boy calling his penis a cock or nob.

[teatimesthree]

I love the name Franny.

[teatimesthree]

Euphemia

I think fanny is neutral, not rude. We used it as kids.

[ThoughtsPlease]

OMG it has just clicked that his name is William!!!!!!

Perhaps he was trying to join forces!

[Startail]

Not rude in the States, America Amazon site happily lists bum bags as Fanny packs.

[LetsFaceTheMusicAndDance]

Full marks to him for phonological awareness though!

Fanny is just as innocuous as willy.

[honeytea]

I don't think fanny is rude because it isn't used as an insult. So where as you get people who say you cunt or fucking cock you don't hear fucking fanny ( or Willy) as an insult so it is ok to teach kids to refer to their genitalia by those terms.

If I was looking after a child and they told me they had pain/itch in their woo/Minnie I wouldn't know what theywere talking about. It seems unfair that boys have Willy as an acceptable word for their genitals but girls have no generally accepted word and sometimes are told anatomically incorrect names ( front bottom??)

[TheYamiOfYawn]

Fanny seems pretty mild to me, the sort of word you would use with children. It was the term my midwives used, too.

[curlew]

Amused that fanny is rude but Minnie isn't. As my mum used to say "Who makes these rules?"

[ChippingInWiredOnCoffee]

Fanny isn't as innocuous as willy in most places - only some. Around here is certainly isn't! It is definitely considered crude. However, I fully understand that it's the accepted term in many places and if a non local child said it I'd assume they were from somewhere it was common useage

[Spikeytree]

Using the term 'fanny' in relation to female genitalia would get you in trouble in the school I work in. Same as saying 'cock' would if you were not talking about a chicken. It is considered just one step down from cunt here.

[ThoughtsPlease]

I agree names such as woo/Minnie I find a little odd, but actually I think front bottom is ok, is a least factual, it is not your bottom at the back, but in front of it.

[Spikeytree]

honeytea, fanny is used as an insult here 'you're a right fucking fanny' etc, just as cock is.

[LetsFaceTheMusicAndDance]

So what is the girls' equivalent of willy round your way?

[treaclesoda]

I do think its unfair that willy is a harmless, innocuous term, generally considered fairly inoffensive (although I do know people who would find that offensive too) and that there is no equivalent for little girls. I have never given a nickname to DD's genitals, just taught her the correct term, whereas for DS, we do use the term willy.

But this thread has been interesting for me, because I didn't know that fanny was a generally accepted, inoffensive word. Because a six year old using the word fanny round here would be treated much the same as a six year old using the word cunt - with horror. Anything American where the word fanny is used for 'bum' is generally greeted by children with nervous giggling, because they can't believe that anyone is allowed to say that word

[ThoughtsPlease]

I'm not sure there is an equivalent to willy necessarily, I have to say it not really a topic that I spend much time discussing.

[Clawdy]

There have been endless threads on MN about names for female genitalia! This is turning into another one.

[Pantone363]

Fanny is fine here, SE England.

My DC use vagina, I hate vulva!

[quoteunquote]

I know a few people who are called Fanny, I also know some called Gay.

In the USA, fanny just means bottom,

of walmart fame

[MrsReiver]

you don't hear fucking fanny

Here (Central Scotland) you do. I would be really shocked to hear a 6 year old use "fanny" - as others have said it's on park with "cock" or "knob."

[Spikeytree]

We just say vulva and penis generally.

[ThoughtsPlease]

Yes treaclesoda I agree, I too did not know that it was an accepted inoffensive word.

I am not shocked to hear it in a precious way, just surprised.

It was something that was discussed when her name was chosen.

[FantasticDay]

It's the word we use. I thought it was the standard equivalent to Willy. Non-offensive,.but non-ambiguous too.