Apep's name was often incorrectly defined as he who was "spat out". It was said that he had been formed by Neith, who had been the goddess of the ancient waters in the Ennead, from a length of spit she had spat at Nu, the god of the ancient waters in the Ogdoad. Some subsequent commentators speculated that Apep must have been an earlier creator, and chief god, thus explaining why he had so much anger towards Ra.