4-04-2026 10:50pm

How Western Christian's Got The Name "Easter" For Resurrection Day

Beth Callahan Editor

Photo via Pexels.com

WARREN CONTY, OH -- The name “Easter” for Resurrection Day has an interesting origin that’s partly linguistic and partly historical. Most Christians around the world actually call the holiday something derived from the Greek word Pascha (linked to Passover). But in English—and German—it’s different.

Where “Easter” comes from

The word “Easter” is commonly traced back to an early medieval English monk named Bede, who wrote in the 700s. He explained that the name came from a pagan springtime festival dedicated to a goddess called Eostre (sometimes spelled Eastre).

According to Bede:

The month when the celebration occurred was called Eosturmonath
It was named after this goddess associated with spring, renewal, and fertility
Over time, as Christianity spread, the name of the month and festival was adapted to refer to the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection

Modern scholars have debated whether she was a well-known deity or an invention of Bede, but some recent archaeological findings (such as inscriptions for the matronae Austriahenae) have provided circumstantial evidence supporting the existence of a Germanic goddess related to the name Eostre.

Why the name stuck

Even though the meaning of the holiday became fully Christian (celebrating the resurrection of Jesus), the name “Easter” remained in English-speaking regions.

Meanwhile:

In Greek: Pascha
In Latin: Pascha
In Spanish: Pascua
In French: Pâques

All of those reflect the holiday’s connection to Passover, not Eostre. So, while “Easter” likely comes from a pre-Christian spring festival name, the religious meaning comes from Christianity and represents the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death.

Why eggs became an Easter symbol

Eggs have been a symbol of new life and rebirth for thousands of years—long before Christianity.

In early spring festivals, people celebrated the end of winter and the return of life, and eggs naturally represented that renewal
In Christianity, the egg took on a new meaning: it became a symbol of Jesus’ resurrection—the idea of new life emerging from what looks lifeless

There’s also a practical reason:

During Lent (the 40 days before Easter), Christians in medieval Europe often didn’t eat eggs
Chickens kept laying them, so people saved them and then decorated and ate them at Easter as a celebration

Where the Easter bunny comes from

The bunny is also tied to spring and fertility.

Rabbits reproduce very quickly, so they became a natural symbol of new life and abundance
The idea of an “Easter hare” is often linked to German folklore and possibly to the spring goddess Eostre, whose symbols may have included animals like hares

How the bunny and eggs came together

In Germany, a folk tradition developed of an egg-laying hare called the “Osterhase”:

It would hide eggs for children to find (early version of egg hunts)
This tradition was brought to America in the 1700s by German immigrants, especially in places like Pennsylvania