Easter — the celebration of Christ's resurrection — is the most ancient and central Christian observance, predating Christmas by centuries. The claim that Easter is derived from a pagan goddess named Eostre is based on a single 8th-century source (Bede), and modern historians are deeply skeptical that Eostre was a widely-worshipped deity. Easter's name in most languages comes from Passover (Pascha), not from any pagan goddess. 88/100 Spiritually Safe — celebrating Christ's resurrection is thoroughly biblical.
The claim that Easter derives from a pagan goddess named Eostre (or Ostara) originates from a single source: the Venerable Bede's De Temporum Ratione (725 AD), in which he mentions in passing that April was called "Eosturmonath" by the English and associated with a goddess named Eostre. That's it — one mention, no corroborating archaeological evidence, no other ancient sources. The modern claim that Easter is "really" a pagan festival about this goddess extrapolates enormously from Bede's brief remark.
The historical consensus among scholars of religious history is significant skepticism about whether Eostre was widely worshipped at all. Professor Philip Shaw's 2011 linguistic study concluded that "Eostre" was likely a minor local deity at most, not a widespread goddess whose festival was appropriated by Christianity. Ronald Hutton, the leading historian of pagan Britain, concludes that the evidence for a major pre-Christian Eostre festival is too thin to build on.
The Christian celebration of the Resurrection is documented from the earliest centuries of the church — well before any alleged pagan goddess could have influenced it. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (written c. 54 AD) states the Resurrection as foundational: "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day." The celebration of the Resurrection on the first Sunday after Passover is documented in 2nd-century sources including Justin Martyr's First Apology (c. 155 AD) and the Easter controversy between Eastern and Western churches (Quartodecimanism, 2nd century).
In virtually every language except English and German, "Easter" is called Pascha or a derivative of Passover (Spanish: Pascua, French: Pâques, Italian: Pasqua, Russian: Paskha) — directly connecting it to the Jewish Passover context of Christ's death and resurrection. The English word "Easter" may or may not derive from Eostre — but the holiday itself is unambiguously Christian in origin, content, and history.
Easter eggs and bunnies are cultural accretions — largely medieval and early modern additions to the Christian Pascha celebration. They have folk origins but are not pagan religious practices in any documented sense. The question for Christians is whether these traditions distract from the Resurrection — a legitimate question — not whether they represent actual pagan worship. Compare with our guide on Is Christmas Pagan? for the same framework applied to Christmas. See our Theology hub. The Gospel Coalition's thorough treatment of Easter's origins is the best evangelical resource on this question.