Pandora
In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first human woman, created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. As Hesiod related it, each god cooperated by giving her unique gifts. Her other name—inscribed against her figure on a white-ground kylix in the British Museum—is Anesidora.
Meaning & Origin of Pandora
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first human woman, created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. As Hesiod related it, each god cooperated by giving her unique gifts. Her other name—inscribed against her figure on a white-ground kylix in the British Museum—is Anesidora.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Pandora
Pandora first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1912, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1952, when 132 Pandoras were born — ranking #783 that year. As of 2026, Pandora ranks #3,910 for baby girls with 38 births, gradually falling (-15%). In total, more than 3K Pandoras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Pandora
Phonetically similar names — useful when Pandora is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pandora
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About the name Pandora
Pandora is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1912 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Pandora's peak popularity came in 1952 when it ranked #783. Use the chart and map above to compare Pandora's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1952 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "P" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.