Hi Holly.
Don’t guarantee authority but I read that “bail” may be derived from
a Scandinavian word meaning “bow” - something bent into a simple
curve. Some meanings offered in my very old Webster’s Collegiate
dictionary:
--a supporting half hoop
--the usually arched handle of a kettle or pail
“Carrying” the right spelling in my memory is easy when I picture
the bail of a pail.
HTH
Pam Chott
Song of the Phoenix