To ask what bonny means when describing a baby?

[Oysterbabe]

I'd never heard it before having kids. Everyone keeps telling me DD is bonny. I'm not 100% on what it means. Does it mean fat?
She does have lovely chubby cheeks and thighs that you just can't help but squidge.

[KayTee87]

Aw op I just saw your picture, your baby is very bonnie

[NewLife4Me]

It's not fat.

It's cheerful , happy and maybe a bit chubby, rather than scrawny.

A bonnie lass is similar to a buxom lass, so not just confined to babies.
A Bonnie lad is a handsome sort of man, in good shape.

[TormundGiantsbabe]

clashcity my Dd is always described as a "wee dot" or "little dot" by old ladies.

[Jonsnowscodpiece]

In the Midlands, I think it means 'plump'.

[Polska03]

In Scotland it means beautiful

[Mummydearest85]

Bonny doesn't mean fat - chubby or chunky is fat! Bonny is beautiful. A Bonny bern!

[springtimevintagedream]

Well in some parts of the country it does mean fat - it might not in some places but elsewhere it's definitely a 'nice' way of saying fat.

[ClashCityRocker]

bonny
ˈbɒni/
adjectiveSCOTTISHNORTHERN ENGLISH
adjective: bonnie
1.
attractive or beautiful.
"a bonny lass"
synonyms: beautiful, attractive, handsome, pretty, gorgeous, good-looking, nice-looking, well favoured, fetching, prepossessing, ravishing, stunning; More
lovely, nice, sweet, cute, appealing, endearing, adorable, lovable, charming, dear, darling, delightful, winsome, winning;
blooming, bouncing, healthy, fine;
informaldivine, drop-dead gorgeous, easy on the eye, adorbs;
informalbeaut;
literarybeauteous;
archaicfair, comely, taking
"did you ever see such a bonny baby?"
antonyms: unattractive
(of a baby) plump and healthy-looking.
sizeable (usually expressing approval).
"it's worth a thousand pounds, a bonny sum"
nounliterary
noun: bonnie
1.
used as a form of address for one's beloved or baby.
Origin

late 15th century: perhaps related to Old French bon ‘good’.

[ClashCityRocker]

Although I am doubting the credibility of that particular dictionary purely for use of the word 'adorbs'

[Lockheart]

I always thought it meant a kind of mix of beautiful, pretty, handsome, robust, healthy, vigorous etc.

It's a good thing whatever it means :)

[JeanGenie23]

Happy and giggly

[oldlaundbooth]

Bonny is a compliment.

It means wholesome, appealing, attractive. It does indicate youth.

In Lancashire you could call anyone 'bonny' - 'She's a bonny lass' for a baby, child or woman.

Also applicable to boys, but usually under the age of 20.

[paddypants13]

I would take it as pretty/ beautiful but certainly not fat.

(Having said that I love a lovely chubby cheeked baby!)

[LeonoraFlorence]

She's definitely bonny, OP :) What's her name? Her sticky up hair is the same as my DD4. She's often called a 'bonny wee lass' too :)

[DownstairsMixUp]

I thought fat to. everyone says my youngest ds is bonny, he is 20 months old and defintely a porker.

[DownHereInTheHorridHouse]

Well, I'm Scottish and it means 'fat' to me - or certainly a bit porky!

Different to when it's used for a place or a thing. Had an auntie who always told my mum she was looking 'bonny' and it always meant 'get the cabbage soup on' . . .

It is meant in the sense that a fat baby is a healthy baby though - in an old-fashioned way. Agree with PP that you get 'bonny' or 'scrawny' babies and that the latter is probably nowhere near what 'scrawny' actually means.

[DownstairsMixUp]

She is cute op!

This is my "bonny boy"

[eatyouwithaspoon]

Im from SE and to me it means pretty or nice looking, I know someone from SW called Bonnie and I think its a pretty name. I also know a person with the nickname bonnie (they are from the NE) and that refers to fat I think!

[paddypants13]

Oh Oysterbabe, just seen the pic. What a little love! Def a bonny baby.

[Gide]

Bonny lass is my uncle's name for me. He's from a pit village up north. He sometimes says thee me thou too!

[Oysterbabe]

He's lovely Downstairs :) Looks a cheeky little poppet.
Leonora her name is Heidi.

[LeonoraFlorence]

Lovely! Her name suits her :)

[rollonthesummer]

Fat!!

[DrCoconut]

DS3 is a chubber and very cute so he is bonny either way

[Mouseinahole]

It is certainly a compliment, in the North East it means pretty or handsome further North it means looking healthily chubby. My grandparents used to call me a 'bonny bairn' 70 years ago :)
Your little girl is gorgeous.