The origins of the word Easter are a bit uncertain. According to The Venerable Bede (672-735 AD), a Christian scholar, Easter was named after Eostre (a.k.a. Eastre), who was the Great Mother Goddess of the Saxons.
The Teutonic goddess of fertility was known by such names as Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Eostra, Eostre, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron and Ausos, and her name came from an old word for spring: eastre.
An alternative theory is that Easter comes from the German word Ostern.
Many cultures celebrate the beginning of spring with various festivals. The Christian festival of Easter was probably grafted onto old pagan spring festivities, and things like Easter eggs and Easter bunnies are symbols of new life and fertility which perhaps date back to pagan times.
There’s more information about the origins of Easter at:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/easter.htm
Happy Easter to those you who celebrate it.
