Merritt sits next to 5 phonetic neighbors — Merit, Meret, and Merritt are the closest matches by sound. Most share Merritt's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"boundary gate"
"son of Carr, marsh dweller's son"
"modern invented name"
"Christmas, born at Christmas"
"truthfulness, integrity"
"my God"
"beautiful rose"
"harmful spirits, demons"
"she who brings peace"
"narrative, tale, account"
"luminous, shining"
"of the Kiani dynasty, noble"
"great one"
"noble kind"
"goddess of the hunt"
"other, foreign"
"bright fame"
"rowan tree, protection"
"noble one by the lake"
"Jay + lake (modern coinage)"
"invented Valyrian fantasy name"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Merritt — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Old English origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Merritt.
Rhythm: Merritt is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.