Zelie sits next to 5 phonetic neighbors — Zelly, Celia, and Ellie are the closest matches by sound. Most share Zelie's French-origin cluster, so the rhythm and vowel shape carry across the list.
You searched for names like
"solemn, devoted"
"star of the sea"
"woman from the Sabine hills"
"dew of the sea (rosemary herb)"
"court dweller"
"bright, shining one"
"mighty with a spear (ger + wald)"
"woman from Magdala (tower)"
"noble natured"
"of noble kind"
"solemn, dignified"
"feminine of Romeo (from pilgrim)"
"free woman"
"youthful, downy-bearded"
"defender of people"
"God will add, God shall increase"
Similar sound: These names share phonetic patterns with Zelie — similar vowel sounds, consonant clusters, or rhythm.
Shared roots: Several names on this list have Latin (via Azélie) origins, giving them the same cultural heritage as Zelie.
Rhythm: Zelie is a 2-syllable name. Names with the same syllable count tend to feel interchangeable when you're narrowing your list.