The Spanish word 'bola' meaning 'ball' comes from the Occitan word 'bola' with the same meaning. This ultimately derives from the Latin word 'bulla', which meant both 'bubble' and 'ball'. The connection between bubbles and balls makes intuitive sense given their shared spherical shape. Over time, as the word evolved from Latin through Occitan to Spanish, it retained the 'ball' meaning while simplifying its form from 'bulla' to 'bola'.

Some related Spanish words include 'bolita' (little ball), 'boliche' (bowling), and 'bolero' (a type of dance named after the movement of throwing balls). The word 'bola' is also used in compound words like 'bola de nieve' (snowball) and 'bola de cristal' (crystal ball).

The English word 'bull' (as in 'papal bull') is actually related to 'bola', as it comes from the same Latin word 'bulla'. A papal bull was named after the round seal (bulla) that was attached to the document. The English words 'bulletin' and 'bullet' are also derived from this same Latin root, referring originally to small round objects or seals.