Holly sits next to 5 phonetic neighbors — Hollis, Hawley, and Holloway are the closest matches by sound. Most share Holly's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"dweller near the holly trees"
"son of Edward"
"free one, Frankish person"
"chosen, judged"
"flat plain, fertile coastal plain of Israel"
"Border land by the meadow"
"Royal meadow; kings clearing"
"holly tree, evergreen plant with red berries"
"island of roses"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Holly — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Old English origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Holly.
Rhythm: Holly is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.