Ailey sits next to 5 phonetic neighbors — Hayley, Haley, and Bailey are the closest matches by sound. Most share Ailey's Scottish cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"hay meadow, grassy clearing"
"graceful, full of favor"
"bright, shining"
"grey fortress"
"new, new star"
"one who lives near a lake; water dweller"
"creative variant of Zenobia"
"living, alive"
"black, dark hardwood"
"one who lives near a brook"
"jasmine flower"
"supplanter, one who follows at the heel"
"one who understands, expert"
"land of the Norsemen"
"Christmas Day, birthday of Christ"
"pure, graceful"
"light brown, beige"
"who is like God (from Hebrew via Kayla/Michaela)"
"ruler of elves"
"descendant of Ceanneidigh"
"the moon (by association with Artemis)"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Ailey — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Old English/Scottish origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Ailey.
Rhythm: Ailey is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.