Matei sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Matteo, Mateo, and Matthew are the closest matches by sound. Most share Matei's Hebrew-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"gift of God, gift of Yahweh"
"fortunate, favored by God"
"strong, powerful"
"bearer of Christ, Christ-carrier"
"twin"
"little Alexander"
"victory of the people"
"guelder rose tree; handsome youth"
"earth mother devotee"
"bear (affectionate)"
"victory"
"life (variant of Zoltan, life/ruler)"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Matei — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Hebrew origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Matei.
Rhythm: Matei is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.