Phonetic transliteration of 'Fanny' — typically a short form of Frances.
范 (fàn) is borrowed from the Chinese surname for the 'Fan' sound;
妮 (nī, 'lass, girl') is a stock character used in feminine name endings (e.g.
安妮 Annie,
珍妮 Jenny). Best-known bearer: Fanny Price, the heroine of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park.
