Mela sits next to 5 phonetic neighbors — Mila, Nela, and Dela are the closest matches by sound. Most share Mela's Indian-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"gathering, festival, fair"
"bright, radiant"
"gracious, dear"
"pure, immaculate"
"divine speech, sacred voice, word of God"
"devoted to the earth"
"beloved, wished-for"
"rose-like, full of roses"
"God is gracious"
"brown-haired, dark complexioned"
"beautiful rose"
"golden-yellow color"
"noble kind"
"place name, possibly crown or river settlement"
"perseverance"
"dweller in the valley"
"starwards, toward the stars"
"unique, special, unlike any other"
"dawn, morning light"
"power of the mind, brilliance"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Mela — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Sanskrit origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Mela.
Rhythm: Mela is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.