1753 I. Strange Let. in 17 Nov. My dear Andrew,—I'm just waiting for the happy hour, the sharp shower, and the canny moment, the account of which will come to you in course.
1815 W. Scott I. i. 11 Ye'll be come in the canny moment I'm thinking.
1939 16 June 16/6 The moment of birth used to be known in Scotland as the ‘canny moment’, and one of the many names of the midwife was the ‘canny-wife’.