There is no consensus among researchers of Appian’s text regarding its identification. According to the publisher L. Mendelssohn, this is another variant of  ’Αγγίτης. V. Gardthausen distinguishes between Gangites and Angites.

The name was identified as Thracian by D. Detschew, who includes it as a separate entry from Angites, in his Die thrakischen Sprachreste. However, in the Charakteristik der thrakischen Sprache, he considers the two river names Γαγγίτης and ’Αγγίτης to be identical, i.e. he agrees with the opinion of the Appian’s publisher. Owing to this discrepancy between the two studies, it remains uncertain what Dechev’s final opinion was. This is understandable, since both are possible and there is no objective criterion that would tip the scales in favor of one or the other.

Tischler did not consider a link with the name of the Lydian river Γάγας possible, for which attested and nazalised forms of the adjective Γαγγῖτις are known (influenced by the name of the Indian river according to him).