Many names used in the church for prayers, feasts, and liturgies have interesting histories. History, language, and the adaptation of secular things for religious purposes often influenced how something got its name. Greek and Latin hold a primary, though not exclusive, influence. In the case of Lent, it was a combination of language and history that influenced its English name.
The word Lent comes from the Middle English word "Lenten," which means spring, and it did not have any religious meaning. Since Easter was celebrated in late spring, the time before it was designated as a time of preparation. Lent was not always forty days however. In the early church, it was just a few days, and was later extended to a few weeks. By the time of the Council of Nicaea, in 325, Lent was forty days, most likely because of the length of time that Jesus spent in the desert to prepare for his public ministry. The early Greek word for Lent meant forty days. It was then translated into Latin, and on to the Romance languages (derived from Latin): Italian, Spanish, French, etcetera. Spring's association with the time of Easter had a greater influence in our language, and the Middle English word "Lenten" became Lent as the time more connected to preparation before Easter.© Liturgical Publications Inc