What does the name “Pandora” mean in the Greek myth?

In the Greek myth, the name Pandora means “all-gifted.”

The name comes from Greek elements meaning “all” and “gifts.” Hesiod’s story presents Pandora as receiving gifts from several gods, including skills, adornments, and persuasive qualities. Her name therefore reflects the divine contributions that went into creating her.

Pandora is not simply born in the myth. Zeus orders Hephaestus to make her, and other gods give her attributes before she is presented to humanity. This sequence makes her creation part of Zeus’s punishment after Prometheus gives fire to mortals.

Some ancient interpretations connected the name with gifts given to all the gods or gifts given to humanity. The most common modern gloss remains “all-gifted,” which directly reflects the Greek form Pandōra.