Pandora’s original Greek name in the myth of Pandora’s Box is Pandora. The name comes from Greek roots commonly interpreted as meaning “all-gifted” or “all-giving,” reflecting the gifts given to her by the gods.
Pandora appears in Hesiod’s account as the first woman created by the gods. Zeus ordered her creation as part of his punishment of humanity after Prometheus stole fire and gave it to mortals. Different gods contributed qualities or possessions to her, which helps explain the name.
The familiar English phrase “Pandora’s Box” is based on a later translation tradition. In Hesiod’s original Greek story, Pandora receives a large storage jar, not a literal box. The Greek word pithos referred to a substantial container used for storing goods.
Pandora is therefore both a character’s name and a meaningful description of her divine origin. The myth is preserved chiefly in Hesiod’s Works and Days, written in archaic Greece.