Mari sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — Mary, Marie, and Mara are the closest matches by sound. Most share Mari's Japanese cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"beloved, drop of the sea"
"white, beautiful"
"myrtle plant"
"princess"
"grace, favor"
"painting horse (votive plaque)"
"you among the thorns (Marian invocation)"
"land of the Welsh, Wales"
"lovable, grace and beauty"
"mother of all living"
"lion of God"
"love, joy"
"to speak, eloquent"
"of Mars, martial"
"overlord, immortal one"
"linden tree"
"watchful, alert"
"noble youth given as pledge"
"God has favored me, gracious one"
"superior, more desirable"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Mari — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Hebrew via Latin origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Mari.
Rhythm: Mari is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.