Sage sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Cage, Page, and Gauge are the closest matches by sound. Most share Sage's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"wise person"
"place of elms"
"noble, high"
"gift, from the sea"
"bane, destruction (war god)"
"beauty, grace, excellence"
"man, the light"
"mortal, earthly"
"slender, thin"
"noble bright (adal + beraht)"
"spear of God (from Oscar)"
"the great river"
"of the Julian clan, youthful"
"priest's town, priestly settlement"
"traveler, one who leaps"
"pilgrim to Rome; from Rome"
"Frenchman"
"administrator of justice"
"from Dax, town settlement"
"frisky, energetic youth"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Sage — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Old French/Latin origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Sage.
Rhythm: Sage is a 1-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.