Dylan sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Dillon, Declan, and Desmond are the closest matches by sound. Most share Dylan's Welsh cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"son of the sea"
"defender of the people"
"gracious, merciful"
"strong, powerful"
"son of Cole"
"light, bringer of light"
"merciful, gentle"
"appointed by God"
"unbranded cattle, one who stands alone"
"he gave"
"God's gift"
"messenger of God, divine messenger"
"people's triumph"
"my God is Yahweh"
"God is gracious"
"strong as a lion"
"who resembles God"
"Yahweh has been gracious"
"Scottish form of John, gift of God"
"son of Gray"
"great king"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Dylan — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Welsh mythology origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Dylan.
Rhythm: Dylan is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.