Ely sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Eli, Elly, and Lee are the closest matches by sound. Most share Ely's Spanish-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"ascent, high"
"paw, claw"
"from the fortified town"
"dealer, trader"
"healer"
"God is gracious (short for Giovanni)"
"one blessed by God"
"promised land, heaven"
"wood, lumber, forest"
"eager to emulate, striving"
"firebrand, burning sword"
"oarsman, rower"
"red-haired fighter"
"divine power"
"from Hugh's meadow, Hucc's woodland clearing"
"light, illumination"
"ease, wealth"
"settlement near a tree stump"
"from the sheep settlement, from Skipton"
"Bel (the lord) protect the king"
"bringer of light, luminous"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Ely — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Hebrew origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Ely.
Rhythm: Ely is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.