The Greek name Pandora is commonly interpreted as meaning “all-gifted” or “given all gifts.”
The name is usually connected with the Greek elements pan, meaning “all,” and doron, meaning “gift.” This interpretation fits the myth because several gods are said to have contributed qualities or gifts to Pandora. Hesiod’s account presents her as a divinely fashioned figure whose appearance and abilities are assembled through the actions of multiple gods.
Scholars have discussed the precise nuances of the name and its relationship to earlier religious ideas. In popular explanations, however, “all-gifted” is the standard translation. It should not be confused with Panacea, another Greek-derived name meaning a universal remedy, or with Pandemos, an epithet associated with Aphrodite.
The name became especially famous through later European retellings of the jar story. English speakers usually encounter Pandora in the expression “Pandora’s box,” even though the original Greek account describes a jar. The name itself therefore carries both a linguistic meaning and a strong literary association with unintended consequences.