Gates sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Gale, Gaines, and Bates are the closest matches by sound. Most share Gates's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"dweller by the gates"
"delight, paradise (as in Eden)"
"handsome youth"
"diamond"
"surname used as given name"
"hay enclosure dweller"
"sword people, stone-knife people"
"champion, winner"
"moon, of the moon"
"asked for, prayed for (via Aramaic Saul)"
"the white one, fair"
"ease, wealth"
"my God (short for Elijah)"
"from Nimes (fabric origin)"
"from the fortified town"
"place of the birch trees"
"steward, estate guardian"
"small dwelling, storage chest"
"God has helped"
"land of oaks"
"remembered by Yahweh"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Gates — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have English origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Gates.
Rhythm: Gates is a 1-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.