Kirk sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — Kirby, Kurt, and Clark are the closest matches by sound. Most share Kirk's Scottish cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"church, one who lives by a church"
"departure, going out"
"of the moon, lunar"
"peaceful ruler"
"exalted brother, my brother is high"
"fionn (fair) + laogh (warrior)"
"son of Lars (son of Lawrence)"
"bright army, famous warrior"
"God has given"
"beloved of God, beloved of Yahweh"
"bold, brave, daring"
"grey, rocky land"
"son of Japheth, grandson of Noah"
"deer, little deer"
"son of Diot, follower of Dionysus"
"healer (from Greek root of Jason)"
"protector of humanity"
"people's champion"
"ruler's counselor"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Kirk — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Old Norse kirkja origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Kirk.
Rhythm: Kirk is a 1-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.