Meiling sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — May-ling, Mailing, and Mei are the closest matches by sound. Most share Meiling's Chinese cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"beautiful spirit/soul"
"Free one; one from France"
"faithful, honest, genuine"
"from the alder grove clearing"
"sea sparkle"
"noble hill; Ella hill"
"little Ireland (historical settlement)"
"from Venice"
"dark challenger, from the black cliff"
"free man"
"will helmet"
"dear little cross (term of endearment)"
"Chosen one; seeress"
"grace"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Meiling — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Chinese origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Meiling.
Rhythm: Meiling is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.