Elaine sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Elane, Elain, and Lane are the closest matches by sound. Most share Elaine's Welsh cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"sunray, shining light"
"Ford by the windy place; a river crossing in a breezy location"
"glory of the homeland"
"the strait, narrow waterway"
"old, wise ruler"
"from Flanders, Flemish person"
"field settlement"
"alder tree dweller"
"raven"
"daylight, the day"
"flower settlement"
"house of God (possible Bethel derivation)"
"dark river, dark stream"
"eagle"
"The great; the large"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Elaine — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Welsh/Greek origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Elaine.
Rhythm: Elaine is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.