Sanders sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — Sander, Anderson, and Leander are the closest matches by sound. Most share Sanders's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"son of Alexander (defender of men)"
"red king"
"narrow (place name origin)"
"noble heir, royal successor"
"to tame (via Damian root)"
"fire of God, God is my light"
"from the Afton river"
"dark-haired chieftain"
"legendary divine smith (from Völundr)"
"drawn out of the water"
"dawn, new beginning"
"guardian of riches"
"from the fort (place name origin)"
"son of Copen (geographic surname)"
"the eighth (via Octavius root)"
"broad stone settlement"
"sun, throne"
"elf friend, friend of the elves"
"westward, to the west"
"modern invented name, combination of Tae and -vion"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Sanders — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have English patronymic origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Sanders.
Rhythm: Sanders is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.