In the earliest surviving Greek literary account of her story, the woman is called Pandora.
The account appears in Hesiod’s Works and Days, composed in archaic Greece, probably around the seventh century BCE. Hesiod describes Zeus arranging the creation of a woman who will bring hardship to humanity after Prometheus takes fire for humans. The name is introduced as part of the divine preparation of this figure.
The name is traditionally interpreted as meaning “all-gifted” or “gifted by all.” That interpretation reflects the many gods who contribute attributes, clothing, adornment, and qualities to her. The Greek name is therefore closely tied to the narrative’s emphasis on divine gifts.
Some later traditions and ancient interpretations use related names or different details, and modern English commonly says “Pandora’s box.” Nevertheless, the principal woman in Hesiod’s surviving story is Pandora. The phrase “Pandora’s box” is itself a later development from the original Greek image of a storage vessel or jar.