In a message dated 12/02/2007 01:39:37 GMT Standard Time, dawnwebb@optusnet.com.au writes: In my family I have found Frances was often called Fanny Fanny was a pet form of Frances, but it was used as an independent name in its own right. It was very popular in the 19th century, but is now found rarely, due to the vulgar sense of the word that has been derived from it in the 20th. century. There were 143,325 in the 1881 census! Regards Stan Mapstone