Wellington sits next to 3 phonetic neighbors — Ellington, Pennington, and Harrington are the closest matches by sound. Most share Wellington's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"from the wealthy estate, prosperous settlement"
"keen-eyed hunter"
"beginning, origin, creation"
"sword people, stone-knife people"
"clerk, scholar, scribe"
"legendary warrior (fictional)"
"guardian, watchman"
"modern invented name; Ty (strength) + aire (air, atmosphere)"
"peaceful territory, land of peace"
"fair outlook"
"one who defies authority, resister"
"manly, courageous, strong"
"son of the heart/mind"
"modern American coinage"
"consecrated, dedicated to God"
"defender of men, protector of the people"
"that which one believes"
"my God"
"desired, longed for"
"courageous, fearless"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Wellington — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Old English 'Weola-ingtun' origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Wellington.
Rhythm: Wellington is a 4-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.