Does Easter really come from Eostre?

A popular claim is that Easter was simply a repurposed pagan festival and the name is derived from the ancient goddess Eostre.

Is this really true?

If you go to the Wikipedia page on Easter, and proceed to dig into where the word “Easter” comes from, then you find this …

The modern English term Easter, cognate with modern Dutch ooster and German Ostern, developed from an Old English word that usually appears in the form Ēastrun, -on, or -an; but also as Ēastru, -o; and Ēastre or Ēostre. Bede provides the only documentary source for the etymology of the word, in his eighth-century *The Reckoning of Time. He wrote that Ēosturmōnaþ* (Old English ‘Month of Ēostre’, translated in Bede’s time as “Paschal month”) was an English month, corresponding to April, which he says “was once called after a goddess of theirs named Ēostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated in that month”.

This Eostre origin story might indeed be accepted by some. There is however one little flaw here, it is most probably not true at all.

Eostre

When it comes to historical references to Ēostre, then there is just one reference, and it is that reference in its entirety that was resurrected in the 19th century and then vigorously promoted on the Internet in more recent times.

As described above, the reference comes from *The Reckoning of Time, an Anglo-Saxon text written in 725 CE by the Northumbrian monk Bede. There he explains that the lunar month of Eosturmonath “was named after a goddess… named Eostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated*.” … and that’s it in its entirety, beyond this we have nothing. Here is a modern translation of the latin …

Eosturmonath has a name which is now translated “Paschal month”, and which was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated in that month. Now they designate that Paschal season by her name, calling the joys of the new rite by the time-honoured name of the old observance.

The problem here is that there is no evidence that he was correct about this. There are no references or images of Eostre anywhere else or in anything else at all. He also documents Woden and Thor. They are verified as deities that were worshiped, but not so with Eostre. It appears to be far more probable that the name of the lunar month Eosturmonath is actually a reference to “the month of opening” for the rather obvious reason that it is springtime.

The revival of the fable of Eostre being the Goddess of Easter was first proposed by Jacob Grimm (yes, the guy who wrote *Grimms’ Fairy Tales) in 1835 within his [Deutsche Mythologie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Mythologie). *That revival is based upon this Bede reference, and from there it has taken on a life of its own.

For this goddess, we have no images, no carvings and no legends, just this single reference by Bede.

It appears to be speculation.

For this reason most folklorists will dismiss the assertion that Easter is named after the goddess Eostre as a myth.

Sanity Check

If you know of anything that can establish the claim that Easter really is named after an ancient deity named Eostre in a credible academic sense (hint: you can cite reliable sources to verify it), then please do drop a comment, I’m always quite happy to be corrected, because that way I learn something.

Modern Myths

I’m not simply debunking the Eostre myth. Instead I’m using it to make an important point.

We all know the familiar modern story associated with Easter.

The story is that God that gave birth to Jesus so that he could sacrifice himself for us. Easter is when this sacrifice supposedly happened — the death and then the resurrection of Jesus.

Many today who dismiss the supernaturalism as myth, do so by pointing out that Easter was really all about the Germanic goddess Eostre.

But wait, that Eostre claim is also a myth.

So what am I suggesting?

This.

Debunking a myth by replacing it with a new myth leaves you no better off, you are still embracing a myth as “truth”.

Strive to believe as many true things as possible and put aside all myths, even when such fables appear to support our own lack of belief.

One Last Thought

We might not embrace the myths, but that need not imply a dull life.

While we might dismiss the supernaturalism as fiction, such dismissal need not prevent us embracing and enjoying the festival.

I remember Easter as a time when my Grandmother would hide tiny chocolate easter eggs in her garden and then enjoy watching me spend the day hunting for them. She would offer clues to keep me going. Her story was that a magic rabbit had put them there.

Use Easter as a time to create similar happy memories.

In other words, I wish you all a very happy Magic Rabbit and Chocolate Egg inspired springtime holiday.