Ren sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Wren, Ben, and Ken are the closest matches by sound. Most share Ren's Japanese cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"lotus, water lily"
"elf warrior"
"warrior"
"elevated, sublime, high"
"rest, comfort (when used as variant of Noah)"
"gift of God"
"winner in battle"
"Norse man, Viking settler"
"man, husband (older Germanic sense)"
"love and goodness"
"gift of God"
"village of the cross, farm by the cross"
"may God protect"
"victorious, crowned one"
"meditation, absorption"
"brook, running water"
"father of peace"
"of the earth"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Ren — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Japanese origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Ren.
Rhythm: Ren is a 1-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.