Johnson sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Jackson, Jonson, and Jameson are the closest matches by sound. Most share Johnson's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"son of John"
"prince, noble one"
"priceless, flourishing (via Anthony/Antonius)"
"Winda's homestead, windy village"
"to set, to place, to establish"
"little king"
"modern coinage"
"free man"
"fast sailing vessel"
"from Hadria, near the Adriatic"
"night"
"God will uplift"
"remembered by Yahweh"
"earth (via Gaia connection)"
"pleasant stream"
"who is like God?"
"remembered by God"
"holder of the heel, supplanter"
"recompense of God"
"talon, claw of a bird of prey"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Johnson — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have English origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Johnson.
Rhythm: Johnson is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.