What does the name “Pandora” mean in ancient Greek mythology?

The name Pandora means “all-gifted” in ancient Greek mythology.

The name is commonly derived from the Greek words pan, meaning “all,” and doron, meaning “gift.” It reflects the story’s claim that the gods gave Pandora various qualities, skills, or adornments before she entered the human world.

Hesiod’s Works and Days connects Pandora’s name with the gifts of the gods, while the broader myth presents her as a divinely fashioned woman. The name therefore describes her relationship to the gods’ gifts rather than identifying her as Zeus’s daughter or as a creature made from fire.

English retellings sometimes treat Pandora as if her name means “giver of all gifts.” That reverses the usual interpretation: Pandora is generally understood as “all-gifted,” the recipient of gifts from all the gods.