Clifford sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Clinton, Crawford, and Clifton are the closest matches by sound. Most share Clifford's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"dweller by the cliff ford"
"words of a song"
"one who tends the grange"
"land bordering the sea"
"youthful"
"lord of the marches, borderlord"
"modern invented name"
"golden, precious"
"to conquer, to win"
"one with a sacred name"
"modern invented name"
"crooked enclosure"
"built by the Lord"
"honorable, morally excellent"
"rye land; land where rye grows"
"god-helmet"
"thatcher, roof builder"
"messenger of God"
"from the western direction"
"God has seen"
"warrior's estate"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Clifford — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Old English origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Clifford.
Rhythm: Clifford is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.