The usual English meaning of the name Pandora in Greek mythology is “all-gifted.”
The name is commonly connected with Greek elements meaning “all” and “gifts.” It reflects the myth’s description of Pandora as a figure to whom several gods contribute qualities or adornments. Hephaestus makes her from earth, Athena gives her clothing or instruction, Aphrodite provides beauty, and Hermes supplies a deceptive character in Hesiod’s account.
The name therefore has an important double effect. Pandora is richly equipped by the gods, but those gifts are part of a punishment designed by Zeus. Her divine endowments make her attractive and persuasive while helping conceal the danger associated with her arrival.
Some modern explanations paraphrase the name as “gifted by all,” which emphasizes the contributions of the gods. “All-gifted” is the concise conventional translation. The name should not be confused with Prometheus’s name, which is usually interpreted as “forethought,” or Epimetheus’s, commonly rendered “afterthought.”