Mary sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — Maria, Marie, and Mara are the closest matches by sound. Most share Mary's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"sea of bitterness"
"graceful, beautiful"
"red, ruby-colored"
"yielding to prayer, easily entreated"
"all, completely"
"rose festival"
"harmony, peaceful, beautiful"
"tower; watchtower"
"my dream"
"blooming, green shoot"
"hazel tree"
"choral song"
"ewe, gentle; lake"
"descendant of Riagan"
"grace, favor of God"
"soldier"
"tribe woman; woman of the people"
"crowned one"
"she who intoxicates"
"lily flower, pure"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Mary — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Hebrew origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Mary.
Rhythm: Mary is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.