Maya sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Mia, Kaia, and Aya are the closest matches by sound. Most share Maya's Indian-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"water"
"king of elves"
"epithet of Demeter, goddess of grain"
"wisdom, inspiration"
"goddess of the rainbow, messenger of the gods"
"gentle strength"
"red gemstone, precious red jewel"
"little rose"
"meadow of the wren, small bird meadow"
"New"
"just, righteous"
"the loved one"
"graceful, beautiful"
"work-power, industrious strength"
"light"
"work, industriousness"
"worthy of love"
"From the Latin 'stella' meaning star; popularized in the 16th centu..."
"pure (via Kayla from Michaela)"
"ardor, enthusiasm, fire"
"princess, noblewoman"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Maya — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Hebrew origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Maya.
Rhythm: Maya is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.