Herman sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — Herman, Harmon, and Hernan are the closest matches by sound. Most share Herman's German-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"army man, soldier"
"resolute protector"
"wine's town, friend's settlement"
"to conquer"
"hazel tree"
"willow farm, ledge estate"
"defender (Greek mythological meaning)"
"hill"
"God is gracious (via Hans/John)"
"the kingdom of Ciar, County Kerry"
"hilltop settlement of the friend"
"estate ruler, powerful home"
"son of the grey-haired one"
"homestead by the stream"
"made of gold, radiant"
"king's town, royal settlement"
"settlement of free men"
"man of the forest"
"raven, dark one"
"follower of Christ, anointed one"
"dark, black-haired"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Herman — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Germanic origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Herman.
Rhythm: Herman is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.