The Greek name “Pandora” traditionally means “all-gifted” in the context of the myth. It is commonly explained from pan, meaning “all,” and doron, meaning “gift.”
The name reflects the story’s account of the gods contributing different qualities to the first woman. Hesiod’s Works and Days describes the gods giving her various attributes, and the name links her identity to those divine gifts. The myth therefore presents Pandora as a created figure assembled through contributions from the Olympian gods.
The meaning is sometimes interpreted as “all-giving” rather than “all-gifted,” because the Greek elements can support different grammatical readings in translation. Standard English discussions of the myth most often use “all-gifted,” emphasizing what the gods gave to Pandora.
This name should not be confused with the later interpretation of Pandora as someone who gives all things to humanity. In the earliest literary context, the emphasis is on divine gifts bestowed upon her before she enters the human world.