What is the usual English meaning of the name Pandora?

The usual English meaning of Pandora is “all-gifted.” The name comes from Greek elements commonly understood as pan, meaning “all,” and doron, meaning “gift.”

The name fits Hesiod’s story because several gods contribute gifts or qualities to Pandora. She receives beauty, charm, skill, and persuasive ability before being sent to Epimetheus. Some ancient linguistic discussion also allows a related interpretation, “all-giving,” but “all-gifted” is the standard translation in modern reference works.

This name is sometimes misunderstood as meaning that Pandora herself gives everything away. In the myth, it primarily describes how the gods collectively furnished her with attributes. The later association with the jar comes from the consequences of her arrival, not from the literal meaning of her name.