Riley Keough has revealed the name of her daughter — whom she welcomed with husband Ben Smith-Peterson in August 2022 — and the name has a strong connection to Keough's famous grandfather, Elvis Presley.
In the September 2023 issue of Vanity Fair, Keough introduces her daughter as Tupelo Storm. Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. Keough says she initially believed the name was a subtle reference to her grandfather, but when the Elvis movie was realized, she realized many more people will make the connection.
"It's funny because we picked her name before the Elvis movie," Keough tells the publication. "I was like, 'This is great because it's not really a well-known word or name in relation to my family—it's not like Memphis or something.'"
"Then when the Elvis movie came out, it was like, Tupelo this and Tupelo that. I was like, 'Oh, no.' But it's fine,'" she adds.
Her daughter's middle name also holds very special family significance: It's in honor of her brother, Benjamin Storm Keough, who died at age 27 in 2020.
Keough opens up about much of her life in the issue, including her unique upbringing and the tragedy of her mother Lisa Marie Presley's death. She also talked more about her journey to motherhood. Keough revealed news of her daughter through her speech, which was read by her husband, at her mother's funeral in January. Her daughter was welcomed by surrogacy, due in part to her struggles with Lyme's disease.
"I think it's a very cool, selfless, and incredible act that these women do to help other people," she said of the process. "I can carry children, but it felt like the best choice for what I had going on physically with the autoimmune stuff."
Keough also says that her baby bears her husband's likeness ("Like someone shrunk my husband,") and she talked of the joys of motherhood.
"This is the thing in my life so far that I have really wanted to, quote-unquote, get right," Keough says. "I don't think you ever can be a perfect parent, but I would like to be the best mom for her that I can be. That's.... Very important to me."
