In Pandora’s Box, Hermes gave Pandora her name and the power of speech.
Hesiod’s Works and Days describes Pandora as a creation assembled through the contributions of several gods. Hermes, the Olympian messenger, gave her a deceptive or potentially deceitful mind and placed speech in her. He also gave her the name Pandora, generally understood as “all-gifted” or “gifted by all,” because the gods supplied her attributes.
This detail matters because Pandora is not presented as the work of one deity alone. Hephaestus shapes her, Athena gives her instruction and clothing, and other gods contribute qualities. Hermes’s role fits his wider mythology as a god of communication, boundaries, exchange, and cunning.
Later retellings often focus only on Pandora’s beauty or curiosity. Hesiod’s account is more layered: her gifts make her persuasive and impressive, while Zeus intends her arrival to bring consequences for humanity. The exact wording varies between translations, but Hermes’s association with speech and naming is consistent in standard summaries.