Anders sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Andrew, Anderson, and Andreas are the closest matches by sound. Most share Anders's Greek aner/andros (man)-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"manly, brave, strong"
"crooked mouth, wry-mouthed"
"dark, dark-haired"
"great chief, eminent lord"
"chief desire"
"shepherd, one who tends sheep"
"the brown one"
"great tide, son of the sea"
"renowned warrior"
"true, faithful"
"son of John (via Jack)"
"new"
"raven"
"ruler of the army (Scandinavian form)"
"God-like"
"deep valley dwellers"
"one who brings news"
"watchful, vigilant (via Casey)"
"people's power"
"wagon maker, cart driver"
"modern coined name, son of Bray"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Anders — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Greek aner/andros (man) origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Anders.
Rhythm: Anders is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.