Ai sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Aya, Ai, and Ivy are the closest matches by sound. Most share Ai's Japanese cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"indigo, blue"
"dark beauty"
"meadow on a ledge (from Shelley root)"
"hero of God, God's champion"
"majestic, sublime"
"water"
"citadel, stronghold"
"little hill; one who lives near the rocky knoll"
"Wistar's flower"
"gentle rhythmic movement, to bend gracefully"
"God is gracious"
"goddess of fortune and luck"
"my personal God accepts"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Ai — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Japanese origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Ai.
Rhythm: Ai is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.