The Urban Legend site, Snopes, has an interesting explanation of how Easter was named. "The name for this holiday comes from much older times whose customs we're now not all that familiar with. Many old religions had a Spring Goddess, a special deity who breathed life back into the world, both by banishing Old Man Winter and by encouraging growing things to grow and living things to mate. She went by many names . . . and those who lived in the region that is now Germany knew her as Eastre.

I have always thought Easter is kind of overblown. Pentecost was a more important day in the life of the church and seems so much more authentic.. Both Easter and Christmas became important only later as Christianity spread.