The name Pandora means “all-gifted” in the ancient Greek myth told by Hesiod.
Hesiod explains the name by describing Pandora as receiving gifts from many gods. In the myth, Zeus has her created as part of a punishment directed at humanity after Prometheus steals fire. Her name reflects the collection of divine attributes given to her before she is sent to Epimetheus.
Pandora is often described as the first woman in Greek mythology, although the surviving versions of the story differ in details. Hesiod tells the story in both Works and Days and Theogony, with the fuller account appearing in Works and Days.
Modern retellings often connect her name directly with the phrase “Pandora’s box.” Hesiod’s original account, however, refers to a large storage jar rather than a box. The familiar English wording became influential much later.