Maliah sits next to 5 phonetic neighbors — Malia, Aaliyah, and Aliyah are the closest matches by sound. Most share Maliah's Hawaiian cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"beloved, wished-for child"
"pledge, oath"
"strong, manly (via Andrew from Greek Andreas)"
"the Lord sees"
"faith, belief"
"woman from Magdala (tower)"
"God's wonder"
"beam of light"
"sun, bright"
"ash tree settlement"
"first, beginning"
"meadow, clearing"
"pure"
"sea (via Kai)"
"famous warrior with brightness"
"princess, noble"
"God is my oath"
"angry, wrathful"
"lion strength, brave as a lion"
"modern coined name"
"clearing with bent grass"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Maliah — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Hebrew via Hawaiian origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Maliah.
Rhythm: Maliah is a 3-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.