Fanny is also a term of description for an idiot,
‘shut up you fanny’
I hadnt heard that one, our favorite for that is “Dumb ass”. (Red Forman)
And yes in America, Fanny does mean posterior. (Bum)
And if anyone offers you a fag, don’t worry, it’s something you put in your mouth and suck; ‘a cigarette’
Whereas an American fag would love an English / Australian bum, which is an ass in American rather than a hobo.
Well, mostly. However, if an Englishman has run out of Cigarettes he might try to “bum a fag”…
I always considered tha to be in the same context as a woman’s thingie?
I can’t tell the difference! They both sound the same to me. 
In many cases, particularly during a political campaign season, I will agree there is scant difference. Both windy, both hot, and both very definitely Ill.
Like it!
The nickname for francis in England is franny not fanny :rolleyes:
Fanny means the same thing in England as in Scotland.
In the States, it’s a repulsive, disgusting reference…
Fanny Mae that is!
Saw it on Masterpiece theater, one guy calls the other (named Francis) Fanny. several times. (Danger, UXB ) Thats enough for this ex- colonial.
To call a chap ‘Fanny’ in Britain, one must be either very hard or very stupid.
I used to watch Danger UXB, about twenty years, or so, ago (perhaps longer). Remember the girl, Judy Geeson, I think her name was (?), are you sure it wasn’t she that was being called Fanny?
Assuming one uses the word fanny. However, using a word (shorter by one letter) referring to the same organ is often employed to express dismay at the subject’s stupidity. As in “You stupid …!”
A great show and the delectable, vulnerable and highly desirable Judy made it so much better.
I could make some clever comments about Judy and fannies, but it’s early in the night and I am able (just) to exercise an unusual degree of adult restraint.
Which leads us to Judies. Used to be an Australian term for women. As in “How’d you go with that Judy last night?”. I have a feeling it might have been borrowed from the Motherland?
Which doesn’t lead us back to fags, but I’m going there anyway.
To butt a fag (put out a cigarette) has a rather different British / Aussie meaning to the American possibility.
Americans probably don’t cadge (beg) a butt, either, unless they’re impoverished fags.
Not heard “Judy”, but “Doris” is in common use.
The name was used by one Captain, to another. The dithering hard case Capt. was the C.O. of the whole company,(named Francis) the other was a defusing officer who drank too much, and had a scandalous reputation. his name may have been Ivor. HE took over after the fuss budget Capt. was removed/re-assigned. Ivor addressed the other Capt. as “Fanny”, (not Franny, thats an American nick name, as is Fran, and Francie. We dont want to call somebody a Butt) I do remember Judy Geeson, quite nice looking lady, had a sister who also acted.
Don’t know if it reflects a change in usage, but what was WWII usage as a disparaging term in the UXB series could have changed later.
For example, the ‘thumb up’ sign that meant ‘all right’ in WWII was often used with a slight upward thrust to mean ‘Up yours’ or ‘F… you’ from late 50s early 60s here.
I remember ‘Judy’ being used by scouser friends of mine, in the context you describe, but haven’t heard it used since the sixties. Perhaps, it was one of those generation or era things?
http://www.hissandpop.com/celebrities/g/judygeeson/
I remember, as a very young sprog, reading Archie and Jughead etc. In one issue there was some female friends of Archie’s doing some sort of gym exercises or other and the coach told them not to stick their fannies out so much. :shock: I thought it rather risque and wondered how they were able to get away with that in America.