Merit sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Merritt, Garrett, and Merit are the closest matches by sound. Most share Merit's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"deserving of praise, earned reward"
"settlement by the leek plants"
"powerful (by association with the watt unit)"
"royal power"
"possibly from Celtic 'avon' (river)"
"black, dark-complexioned"
"young"
"large gun, powerful force"
"from the new estate"
"bear of the gods"
"variant of Amal, meaning work or action"
"helmet of will, resolute protector"
"good change, positive transformation"
"lord, have mercy (liturgical)"
"God is gracious"
"son of the angel, angelic descendant"
"speech, language, of God"
"strong, firm, enduring"
"court officer, legal summoner"
"great tide, sea current"
"the wind, breath of life"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Merit — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Latin origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Merit.
Rhythm: Merit is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.