In Greek mythology, Hermes gave the first woman the name Pandora. The name is commonly explained from Greek elements meaning “all-gifted” or “all-giving,” reflecting the gifts the gods bestowed on her.
Hesiod’s Works and Days presents Pandora as a divinely created woman sent to humanity after Zeus became angry because Prometheus had given people fire. The gods contribute different qualities or objects to her creation, and Hermes gives her speech and her name. Pandora’s name therefore belongs to the myth’s creation episode, before the famous opening of the container.
The name is sometimes misunderstood as meaning that Pandora herself gave every gift. In the myth, the gods are the actual donors, while Pandora is the recipient and bearer of their gifts. Hesiod’s account also differs from later popular retellings, which often call the container a box and simplify Pandora into a single villain. The ancient story is more closely connected with questions about divine punishment, human suffering, and the meaning of hope.