Wendy sits next to 4 phonetic neighbors — Benny, Penny, and Remy are the closest matches by sound. Most share Wendy's English-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"friend (invented by J.M. Barrie from 'fwendy')"
"Sea of bitterness"
"grey, grey-haired"
"rocky ground"
"wise counselor"
"renewed in spirit"
"powerful warrior"
"white ford, ford of joy"
"good, well-born"
"broad fortified settlement"
"noble, bright"
"rounded lump, cobblestone"
"Free man; from Germanic karl meaning man or free man, via Old Frenc..."
"ever powerful"
"valley peace; combination of Del (valley) and Fred (peaceful ruler)"
"paulownia tree, nobility (桐)"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Wendy — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have English origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Wendy.
Rhythm: Wendy is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.