Barley sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Barclay, Harley, and Charlie are the closest matches by sound. Most share Barley's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"barley grain, of the barley field"
"crooked nose (distinctive feature)"
"brave lion, lion-strong"
"Possibly lion (from Levon/Leon) or a modern creative invention"
"little ruler"
"fate, destiny, one's allotted share"
"Water of life; the distilled spirit drink"
"place of destruction, the abyss"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Barley — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Old English baerlic origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Barley.
Rhythm: Barley is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.