Pandora was the Greek name meaning “all-gifted” given to the first woman in Hesiod’s myth.
The name is commonly explained from Greek elements meaning “all” and “gifts.” It reflects the story’s claim that the gods collectively supplied her with qualities, ornaments, skills, and traits. Rather than receiving one gift from one deity, she is presented as a composite divine creation.
Hesiod’s account makes the name part of a larger explanation for the condition of human life. Pandora’s arrival follows the conflict over fire, and the release of troubles provides a mythic origin for suffering among mortals. Her name therefore has an ironic quality: the gifts that make her impressive also serve Zeus’s punitive design.
Pandora is often called the first woman in Greek mythology, but that description belongs specifically to Hesiod’s creation story. Greek myths contain many other female figures, including goddesses and heroines, who appear in different narratives and do not replace Pandora’s role in this particular origin account.