I believe that Fancy's origins lie in Frances. In Thomas Hardy's novel 'Under the Greenwood Tree', Fancy Day is the name of the village schoolmistress. In 1880s England I don't think you could put 'Fancy' on a birth certificate - I'm sure she was Frances on paper. If you think about it, Fancy makes just as much sense as Fanny for a nickname for Frances, and pretty much every other girl in those days went by Fanny.I love Fancy, but only as a family nickname for Frances - I wouldn't like to have to explain it to strangers all the time and be stuck with it for job applications.
I love Fancy, but only as a family nickname for Frances - I wouldn't like to have to explain it to strangers all the time and be stuck with it for job applications.