Fanny

♀ Girl

Pronounced FAN-ee /ˈfæn.i/High

Meaning: Pet form of Frances/Francesca — from Latin Franciscus, 'a Frenchman; free'Medium

In 30 seconds: Free and vintage: Fanny pets Frances — 'a Frenchman; free'. Sweet, classic, and warm (Jane Austen's Fanny Price).

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Origin MediumLatin

MeaningPet form of Frances/Francesca — from Latin Franciscus, 'a Frenchman; free'

U.S. rank (2024)#5182 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births25 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1916

Total births (all-time)≈ 9,635

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Fanny is a pet form of Frances/Francesca — from Latin Franciscus, 'a Frenchman' (and 'free'). A sweet, vintage nickname-name (Jane Austen's Fanny Price; entertainer Fanny Brice); especially classic in France and the 19th century.

It registers thinly today. Rare now, free-and-French at the root, and vintage.

Did you know? Frances comes from Latin Franciscus, 'a Frenchman; free' — Fanny is its sweet vintage pet form (Jane Austen's Fanny Price; singer Fanny Brice).

Overall data confidence 70%

Behind the Name — Frances — root etymology

Variations

FrancesFrancescaFannie

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Fanny…

Frances— the full name

Fannie— a fellow spelling

Frankie— a companion Frances pet name

Ginny— shares Fanny's Latin roots

Agnes— shares Fanny's Latin roots

Explore names like Fanny

By themelatin vintage nickname-name

By meaningFreedom

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Fanny mean?

Fanny pets Frances — Latin 'a Frenchman; free'.

How do you pronounce Fanny?

It's said FAN-ee /ˈfæn.i/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Fanny a boy or girl name?

Fanny is a girl's name.

How popular is Fanny?

Fanny is a rare name in the U.S. today.