Topical Word Origin

Easter:

From the Old English (as written and spoken c.450-c.1100) Eastre, from the proto germanic Austron*, a goddess of fertility and sunrise whose feast was celebrated at the spring equinox and who's name meant "to shine" especially of the dawn. Anglo-Saxon Christians adopted her name and many of the celebratory practices for their Mass of Christ's resurrection.

(*The word East comes from the same origin austra, meaning "towards the sunrise.")