In Hesiod’s Pandora story, what does the Greek name “Pandora” mean?

In Hesiod’s Pandora story, the Greek name “Pandora” means “All-gifted.”

The name comes from the Greek elements pan, meaning “all,” and dôron, meaning “gift.” It reflects the myth’s description of Pandora as receiving gifts or qualities from several gods before being sent among humanity.

The name is sometimes loosely paraphrased as “gifted by all,” but “All-gifted” is the standard concise translation. It does not mean that Pandora herself gave all things; rather, the name emphasizes that many divine powers contributed to her creation and adornment.

Hesiod presents Pandora in Works and Days as part of Zeus’s punishment of humanity after Prometheus stole fire. The later phrase “Pandora’s box” comes from a different translation tradition: Hesiod described a large storage jar, not a box.