Ellie sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Nellie, Elise, and Evie are the closest matches by sound. Most share Ellie's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"bright, shining light"
"night"
"my flower"
"maiden"
"Variant of Helen from the Greek 'Helene'; widely used across Europe..."
"seller of scarlet cloth"
"goddess, oak tree"
"new growth, spring"
"strong, full-grown"
"king of elves"
"ancient Hawaiian surfboard style"
"son of Emery, brave and powerful"
"dark, black"
"from the town of Brielle"
"my God is an oath"
"prayer, wish"
"daughter of the sun"
"Christmas, born at Christmas"
"princess, noblewoman"
"An English surname turned first name; popularized as a girl's name ..."
"of noble birth"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Ellie — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Greek origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Ellie.
Rhythm: Ellie is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.