Hapi is the reconstructed Egyptian form of Apis. In ancient Egyptian religion and mythology, Hapi refers primarily to two distinct deities: the god of the Nile's annual flood and a funerary deity associated with the protection of the dead. The name Hapi (Egyptian: ḥjpw) is of uncertain meaning, but it is most famously linked to the Apis bull, a sacred animal worshipped at Memphis as an incarnation of the god Ptah and later associated with Osiris.EtymologyThe name Hapi is a reconstruction of the Egyptian original ḥjpw, which was Hellenized as Apis. The Greek form Apis became common in classical sources, but the Egyptian pronunciation is approximated as Hapi. The etymology of ḥjpw remains unknown; it does not appear to derive from any known Egyptian root related to water or fertility, despite the god's association with the Nile.Mythological RoleIn Egyptian mythology, Hapi the Nile god was depicted as an androgynous figure with a potbelly and pendulous breasts, symbolizing fertility and abundance. He was responsible for the annual inundation that deposited fertile silt on the banks of the Nile. Hapi the funerary deity, meanwhile, was one of the Four Sons of Horus, each of whom protected a major organ stored in a canopic jar. Hapi (the baboon-headed god) guarded the lungs. Despite the shared name, the two deities are distinct entities, and the links to Hathor and Horus are more directly relevant to the broader mythological context via the chains of divine genealogy.Notable BearersNo historical individuals bearing the name Hapi are recorded outside of the mythological figures. The name is strictly religious in context.Meaning: Reconstructed Egyptian form of Apis; unknown further etymologyOrigin: EgyptianType: Mythological deity nameUsage: Primarily ancient Egyptian; modern use is rare and usually revives the mythological name