Excel sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Axel, Excell, and Excel are the closest matches by sound. Most share Excel's Latin-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"excellence, superior quality"
"wide-ranging, expansive"
"hill of the people"
"ardent friend, eager companion"
"nourishing, restorative (plant name connection)"
"bold counsel"
"possibly from Darius meaning good, kingly"
"joyful, lucky"
"wolf"
"faithful, true, honest"
"Farm or dwelling for a herd of animals"
"surname of English origin, possibly place or occupational"
"great, venerable"
"Courteous, polite, of the court"
"one who lives or works in the forest"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Excel — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Latin origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Excel.
Rhythm: Excel is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.