Save Type Surname (from nickname & from location) Usage English Pronounced Pron. BAWL [key·IPA] Meaning & History From Middle English bal, Old English beall meaning "ball". This was either a nickname for a rotund or bald person, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a ball-shaped feature. Categories alpinists, body parts, colleges or universities, comedians, English nouns, English verbs, Goo Goo Dolls songs, hair, Interpol songwriting, landforms, NBA players, sizes, The Pretenders lyrics, word names