The Sweet Way Riley Keough Honored Late Brother Benjamin In Her Baby's Name

Riley Keough received the worst news a sibling can get in July 2020. Her little brother, Benjamin Keough, had taken his own life at the young age of 27. Two years later, Riley and her husband Ben Smith-Petersen quietly welcomed a daughter, but they waited to publicly reveal her name — which has a beautiful tribute to Benjamin.

In a 2023 cover story with Vanity Fair, Riley shared that her child's name is Tupelo Storm Smith-Petersen. As the granddaughter of musician icon Elvis Presley, Riley chose "Tupelo" because that is the name of the city in Mississippi where her late grandfather was born. The baby's middle name is actually the same middle name as her late uncle's. This simple yet powerful decision is a beautiful way to honor Riley's brother.

The tattooed beauty told the outlet she and her husband had already chosen their child's name before the Austin Butler "Elvis" biopic premiered. "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," she said. "Then when the 'Elvis' movie came out, it was like, Tupelo this and Tupelo that. I was like, 'Oh, no.' But it's fine."

Something about Riley Keough that fans may not know is she became a death doula following the loss of her brother. In 2021, she wrote on Instagram about her appreciation to the community that's educated her so much about death midwifery. "We are taught that [death is] a morbid subject to talk about. Or were so afraid of it that we're unable to talk about it... then of course it happens to us, and we are very ill-prepared." Though she doesn't mention Benjamin Keough specifically in her post, some people read between the lines and offered condolences for her loss while simultaneously congratulating her on this journey.

Also in that Vanity Fair interview, Riley shared that her brother is buried at Graceland, which is the Tennessee mansion Elvis Presley once called home. Though she and her sibling were only three years apart, Riley thought of him as her twin. "We were very connected and very similar. He was much quicker and wittier and a little smarter than me," she admitted, calling him "a very special soul."

Though Riley doesn't have photos of her daughter on her Instagram, she still shares throwback pics of her and Benjamin from time to time, including on both his birthday and the anniversary of his death. On one of those posts, Riley said, "This world is strange without you." On another Instagram, she wrote how she misses him eternally. At least her brother's memory will live on through her daughter.