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

The Greek name “Pandora” is commonly translated as “all-gifted.”

The name comes from the Greek elements pan, meaning “all,” and doron, meaning “gift.” It suits Hesiod’s description because the gods contribute different qualities or adornments to Pandora. Hephaestus shapes her, while other deities provide attributes that make her attractive and compelling.

Some discussions also connect the name with the idea of one who receives gifts from all the gods, rather than simply giving gifts to everyone. The exact nuance depends on grammar and interpretation, but “all-gifted” is the standard English gloss.

Pandora’s name is sometimes confused with names associated with other mythic figures, especially Prometheus, whose name relates to forethought, or Epimetheus, whose name relates to afterthought. Pandora is not originally described as an ordinary human woman created by human parents; she is a divinely fashioned figure whose arrival forms part of Zeus’s punishment of humanity.