What is the Greek meaning usually given for the name “Pandora”?

The Greek name Pandora is usually explained as meaning “all-gifted.”

The name is connected with the Greek elements pan, meaning “all,” and doron, meaning “gift.” This interpretation suits Hesiod’s description of Pandora as a figure to whom the gods collectively give attributes, clothing, adornment, or other qualities. It also helps explain why the creation scene involves several deities rather than one maker alone.

The name’s meaning does not mean that Pandora herself gives every gift. Instead, it refers to the divine gifts associated with her creation, though ancient scholarship and modern classicists have discussed nuances in the name and its context.

Pandora’s name appears in Hesiod’s Works and Days, while the related creation story is also connected to passages in the Theogony. The common phrase “Pandora’s box” is a later linguistic development and should not be used as evidence that the Greek name literally means “box of gifts.”