Cotton sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Colton, Cotten, and Hutton are the closest matches by sound. Most share Cotton's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"cotton plant, soft white fiber"
"perfect joy, supreme happiness"
"the Lord's house; a place of Christian worship"
"Pattern; model; example"
"old friend, noble strength"
"God is gracious"
"rough stream"
"cause of rejoicing"
"full of life, lively, alive"
"of the mountain"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Cotton — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Arabic (qutun) via English origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Cotton.
Rhythm: Cotton is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.