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"
"great tide, sea flow"
"may God protect the king"
"of the Saxon people"
"calm, depth, trust"
"variant of Caden (battle)"
"speckled, or from the bridge settlement"
"hairy, rough"
"garden of hollies, holly garden"
"youth-producing"
"tree branch, offshoot"
"rough, fierce (diminutive)"
"God will add, God increases"
"modern invented name; Ty (strength) + aire (air, atmosphere)"
"knife maker"
"light, illumination"
"healer"
"maker or seller of knives"
"manly, courageous, strong"
"companion, friend"
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.