The rumour began with a tweet by Shobhaa De and spread like fire in a drywood forest. Here’s what Shobhaa De -- author, columnist, socialite, celebrity gadfly -- wrote on her Twitter page: “Beti B to be named Abhilasha?That's a stroke of genius.Well done,parents.Abhi and Ash.Truly inspired, if true.”

As De mentioned, the name ‘Abhilasha’ is indeed inspired. It has the sound of the names of both Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, and it means ‘wish’ or ‘desire’. However, Amitabh Bachchan, the paterfamilias of the Bachchan household, has denied that Beti B has been named Abhilasha.

“Not true...” the terse denial from Big B came on twitter. The superstar is presently in Seven Hills Hospital, recovering after two surgeries on February 11. The name of the daughter of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan will be announced once Amitabh Bachchan is discharged from the hospital.