Mackenzie sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — McKenzie, Kennedy, and Makenzie are the closest matches by sound. Most share Mackenzie's Scottish cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"son of Kenneth / son of Coinneach"
"wanderer"
"counselor, advisor"
"thorny shrub, wild rose"
"son of Thomas, son of the twin"
"the carved one (alternate etymology)"
"God's salvation"
"short form of Orlando, famous land"
"beautiful valley"
"life's path, quest"
"bald, little bald one"
"friend, ally (Dakota root)"
"wolf"
"settlement near the sword hill"
"highest point, peak"
"hard spear (from Welsh Peredur)"
"supplanter, may God protect"
"modern invented spelling"
"huckleberry berry plant"
"boar-friend, warrior companion"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Mackenzie — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Scottish Gaelic origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Mackenzie.
Rhythm: Mackenzie is a 3-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.