Gay sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Faye, Mae, and Ray are the closest matches by sound. Most share Gay's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"joyful, merry, carefree"
"kola nut, sacred plant"
"noble, exalted"
"breath, the living one"
"land of the Bamar people"
"resolute protector"
"joy, happiness"
"of good birth, aristocratic"
"sixth"
"from Crete, the island"
"Bright fame; from Germanic elements hrod (fame) and possibly relate..."
"lily flower"
"of the stars, star-like"
"of noble lineage, shining"
"moon"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Gay — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Old French (gai) origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Gay.
Rhythm: Gay is a 1-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.