Riley Keough announces her daughter's meaningful name as she discusses surrogacy

08 August 2023 , 16:04

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Riley Keough announces her daughter's meaningful name as she discusses surrogacy

Riley Keough has revealed the name of her daughter, having paid tribute to her late grandfather and late brother with the names that she chose for the now one-year-old.

It was revealed in January this year the actor, now 34, had welcomed a daughter with her husband Ben Smith-Petersen. The news had been announced in a eulogy at a memorial service for Riley's late mother Lisa Marie Presley.

Riley - who's the eldest grandchild of the late Elvis Presley - welcomed her daughter Tupelo Storm Smith-Petersen, now 12-months-old, in August last year. She recently announced her name and spoke about having used a surrogate.

Riley Keough (left) and her husband Ben Smith-Petersen (right) welcomed their daughter Tupelo Storm Smith-Petersen (centre) last August (4CRNS, WCP / BACKGRID)

Riley hadn't publicly shared her daughter's name until recently, having announced it in an interview with Vanity Fair. She shared the significance behind the names that she gave her daughter in the profile, published on Tuesday. She noted that her daughter's first name references Elvis' birthplace of Tupelo in Mississippi. Riley said she chose the name when it wasn't "well-known" or associated with her family, prior to the biopic Elvis (2022) being released.

She said: "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." Riley however teased that after the film's release she then heard the name constantly.

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Their daughter is named after the birthplace of Riley's late grandfather Elvis Presley (Michael Ochs Archives)

Tupelo shares her middle name with Riley's late brother Benjamin Storm Keough (right) (MediaPunch/REX/Shutterstock)

And it was shared with the outlet that Tupelo's middle name pays tribute to Riley's late brother Benjamin Storm Keough. The late musician, who was her younger brother, passed away in 2020, aged 27. Benjamin died by suicide.

Riley also spoke to the outlet about her daughter being born via surrogate. She said about surrogacy during the recent interview: "I think it's a very cool, selfless, and incredible act that these women do to help other people."

Riley - who starred in Daisy Jones & the Six - said she made the choice to use a surrogate due to her health. Riley, who has Lyme disease, said it felt like "the best choice" amid what was "going on physically" with her "autoimmune stuff".

Riley, pictured with her grandmother Priscilla Presley (left) and her late mother Lisa Marie Presley (centre), spoke about parenthood in a new interview (Charbonneau/REX/Shutterstock)

And discussing parenthood, she said that it's the one thing that she really wanted to "get right" in her life. She further commented: "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."

Riley told the outlet that her own mother Lisa, who died in January, was the "best mother". Further paying tribute, she described her late mother elsewhere in the interview as a "really wonderful" parent, who was "one of a kind."

Joel Leaver