Fanny was the perfectly acceptable and usual contraction of the female name Frances. I myself have a picture of my great great Aunt Fanny. It confused me no end when my mother would refer to Aunt Fanny when something had annoyed or upset her - as in 'you want how much? You'll get my Aunt Fanny!' Took me a few years to work out what she really meant.

I was a little bemused by a Simpsons episode where Marge was attempting to buy Lisa a sun suit with 'a starfish on the fanny', thinking, how symbolic and disturbing is that?!

LTS