Marlen sits next to 5 phonetic neighbors — Marlene, Marlena, and Carlen are the closest matches by sound. Most share Marlen's German-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"drop of the sea, bitterness"
"heritage, homeland"
"little angel"
"my God has answered me"
"white flower, innocence"
"all-wise"
"beloved"
"from the city of Savannah"
"small, perfect rose"
"camellia flower"
"beautiful, graceful (via -elle suffix)"
"tower, elevated place"
"little angel"
"daughter of seven"
"noble"
"sweet as honey"
"friend, companion"
"grace, favor"
"noble one"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Marlen — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Hebrew origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Marlen.
Rhythm: Marlen is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.