Malena sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — Magdalena, Elena, and Melena are the closest matches by sound. Most share Malena's Spanish-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"tower, elevated place"
"lover of horses"
"eternal bloom, forever flowering"
"love"
"grace and beloved"
"Graceful and beautiful"
"help, caring"
"goddess of the hunt and moon"
"heavenly messengers"
"angel, divine messenger"
"exalted, high, strength"
"lover of horses, friend to horses"
"beautiful rose"
"wave"
"whole, universal"
"rule, standard"
"sun"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Malena — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Hebrew origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Malena.
Rhythm: Malena is a 3-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.