Valerie sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Valeria, Valery, and Mallory are the closest matches by sound. Most share Valerie's French-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"strong, healthy, from the Latin valere"
"strength, builder"
"dawn"
"heavenly ascent, to rise"
"dark-complexioned, of dark appearance"
"flower named for botanist Pierre Magnol"
"high, lofty"
"my father is joyful"
"lioness of God"
"beautiful, lovely"
"dark challenger"
"God has favored me"
"bright, shining one"
"Yahweh is gracious"
"may God increase"
"small bird (the wren)"
"An English surname turned first name; popularized as a girl's name ..."
"person from Scotland"
"altar of God, hearth of God"
"fortification wall"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Valerie — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Latin origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Valerie.
Rhythm: Valerie is a 3-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.