Anya sits next to 5 phonetic neighbors — Ania, Sonya, and Tanya are the closest matches by sound. Most share Anya's Russian-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"grace, favor"
"island of wild boars (alternative etymology)"
"protector of men"
"beautiful"
"dry (referring to the plant's preferred soil)"
"ruler of the household"
"little one, darling"
"the winter season"
"chiefly, noble one"
"lioness of God"
"protector of men"
"noble natured"
"beautiful voice"
"noble kind (from Alice)"
"bitter"
"raven estate"
"child of light, precious gem"
"man, full-grown person"
"divine messenger, thought"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Anya — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Hebrew (via Russian) origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Anya.
Rhythm: Anya is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.