Pandora is the Greek name of the mortal woman whose story gives the phrase “Pandora’s box” its name.
Her name is commonly explained as meaning “all-gifted” or “all-giving,” reflecting the gifts supplied by the gods who participate in her creation. Hesiod presents her as a divinely made woman sent to Epimetheus as part of Zeus’s punishment.
The expression “Pandora’s box” describes an action that releases many unexpected problems. It is now used in everyday English for a situation whose consequences multiply once it is opened or started. The modern phrase is more familiar than the original mythological detail about a jar.
Pandora’s story has inspired paintings, poems, novels, films, scientific names, and commercial titles. Despite these adaptations, the core ancient account remains associated with Hesiod’s Works and Days and the theme of divine gifts carrying hidden consequences.