In Greek mythology, the gods gave the first woman the name Pandora. Hesiod explains that the name means “all-gifted” or “she who received all gifts,” because each god contributed something to her creation or adornment.
Zeus ordered Pandora’s creation as part of his punishment of humanity after Prometheus stole fire and gave it to humans. Hephaestus shaped her from earth, while other gods supplied abilities and attributes. This makes Pandora a uniquely collective creation rather than the work of one deity alone.
The name is sometimes misunderstood as meaning “all-giving.” In the myth, however, the emphasis is on the gifts Pandora received from the gods. The later phrase “Pandora’s box” also comes from a translation history: Hesiod’s original story describes a large storage jar, not a box.
Pandora’s story appears most fully in Hesiod’s Works and Days, where opening the container releases troubles into the human world while hope remains inside.