Donald sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — Ronald, Donald, and Roland are the closest matches by sound. Most share Donald's Scottish cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"ruler of the world"
"Saint Anne"
"raven"
"the great river"
"Hugh's settlement, town"
"jet-black, swift"
"little cloak, beloved"
"fair-haired one"
"the cleansing one"
"peace, submission to God"
"sun, lord"
"healer, physician"
"short form of Benjamin: son of the right hand"
"from the brushwood thicket"
"famous land"
"whole, universal, powerful"
"healer"
"crooked valley"
"place of hawks, kite's settlement"
"God has remembered"
"strength of God"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Donald — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Scottish Gaelic origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Donald.
Rhythm: Donald is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.