As the launch date for Apple’s next iPad draws near, it’s beginning to look like all the speculation may have been wrong on one key point: the name. The assumption has been all along that the tablet would be called the iPad 3. Now it looks like we may actually be seeing the iPad HD at next week’s event.

Today’s news comes from Gizmodo, who appear to have gotten their hands on a couple different pieces of evidence to support the iPad HD name. First is a list of items from Griffin, which makes accessories for numerous mobile devices, including iPhones and iPads. The list, as you can see below, calls Apple’s new tablet the iPad HD.

The second bit of evidence is a bit more compelling. It’s usage data from Tapatalk, an app that runs on Android, BlackBerry, and iOS devices. For the month of February it shows several instances of the app running on a device called iPad HD. Check it out below:

Now, it’s entirely possible that both the accessory list and the usage data are both doctored, so there’s a chance we could still see an iPad 3 on Wednesday. On the other hand, Apple has a definite tendency to name iOS devices based on features rather than generation. Three of the five iPhones released to date – the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 4S – have been given names that showcase new features. The iPhone 3G was so named because it added 3G capability, the iPhone 3GS was named for its enhanced speed, and the iPhone 4S was named, presumably, for Siri. Given that the retina display coming to the next iPad is long-awaited and important update, it makes sense that Apple would name the tablet for it.

Of course, any speculation about the next iPad at this point is a little like a child trying to guess what’s in the boxes under the tree on Christmas Eve: just a little more waiting and we’ll know for sure. The iPad event is scheduled for 10 AM Pacific time on Wednesday, March 7th. We’ll be covering the event. In the meantime, check out the rest of our iPad 3 coverage here.

Do you like the iPad HD name? Do you think Apple will really use that name? Sound off in the comments.