Welles sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — Wells, Wesley, and Wallace are the closest matches by sound. Most share Welles's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"from the spring or well"
"sickness; weakness"
"combination of Kai (sea/earth) and -ler suffix (one who)"
"white, pure"
"foreigner, one from abroad"
"lake, calm water (via -lyn)"
"priceless, flourishing (via Anthony/Antonius)"
"little king"
"work-power, industry"
"spear"
"he will enlighten"
"little poet; philosopher"
"friend, ally"
"supplanter (via Jacob/Kobe etymology)"
"one of the Franks (a Germanic tribe)"
"he who grasps the heel"
"lotus sound"
"descendant of Brocán (little badger)"
"battle, round barrel"
"moonlight; of the moon"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Welles — 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 Welles.
Rhythm: Welles is a 1-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.