Matthews sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Matthew, Mathis, and Matthias are the closest matches by sound. Most share Matthews's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"gift of God"
"small deer"
"priest"
"God is my flame"
"elf ruler"
"captain, governor"
"tailor, cloth cutter"
"clear, bright"
"modern American creation with roots in Keon (God is gracious)"
"small place of worship"
"thunder, god of thunder"
"anointed one"
"God is salvation"
"lucky, sacred number"
"God is gracious (through John)"
"son of Brice, son of the speckled one"
"modern American compound of Jah (God) + Shawn"
"who is like God?"
"ray of light and land"
"defender at the weir or fortress"
"praise (from Hallelu)"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Matthews — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Hebrew origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Matthews.
Rhythm: Matthews is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.