In Hesiod’s Works and Days, Pandora was called “Woman” before the gods gave her a name.
The wording reflects the poem’s mythic sequence: the gods first fashion a female figure as part of Zeus’s plan, and she is initially described generically rather than introduced with the personal name Pandora. Her name is then connected with the gifts supplied by the gods.
This detail can be obscured in modern retellings, which usually begin immediately with the name Pandora. Translations also vary in capitalization and phrasing, so readers may encounter “the woman,” “woman,” or a similar generic expression rather than a separate proper name.
The passage belongs to Hesiod’s account of humanity’s troubles after Prometheus’s theft of fire. It should not be confused with later versions that expand the story or give Pandora additional family relationships.