Rodney sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — Rondney, Sidney, and Lindsey are the closest matches by sound. Most share Rodney's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"reed island, island near the clearing"
"narrow water"
"ruler of the sea"
"son of the brown-haired one"
"Trent's town, settlement on the Trent"
"wise, judicious"
"spotted one"
"cross"
"panache, flair (as in 'cut a dash')"
"grey hill, army hill"
"modern invented name"
"Yahweh saves"
"noble and famous"
"of the Jordan River"
"treasure, to store (possible Arabic root)"
"firm, constant"
"near the holly trees"
"remembered by Yahweh"
"dream, aspiration, vision"
"golden, gilded, of gold"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Rodney — 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 Rodney.
Rhythm: Rodney is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.