Malaya sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Maliah, Malia, and Aaliyah are the closest matches by sound. Most share Malaya's Hawaiian cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"free, independent"
"soft, gentle, delicate"
"from the pasture land"
"God is gracious"
"crown of laurels"
"lake (suffix)"
"heavenly ocean, royal sea"
"sky, heavens"
"in the beginning"
"from the Danish valley passage"
"foreign woman, stranger"
"Mae (spring month) + Lynn (lake)"
"lake, body of water"
"land of the Malay people"
"elf ruler, ruler of supernatural beings"
"pearl"
"new, fresh, pure"
"ruler of the elves"
"clearing on the hill"
"exultant, glad"
"manly, brave"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Malaya — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Tagalog origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Malaya.
Rhythm: Malaya is a 3-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.