If you are someone who prefers to avoid overly popular or trending names, does that rule out less popular names that sound very similar to very popular names?
[name_f]My[/name_f] husband still isn’t sold on [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m], but I keep coming back to it. But I am a little hesitant because [name_m]Silas[/name_m] was ranking in the 80’s in the US last year and I feel like I see/hear it EVERYWHERE.
I feel like if we were to use [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] (ranked in the 300’s last year), people would constantly be misspelling or mishearing it as [name_m]Silas[/name_m] since it is so popular here. I don’t want to doom a kid for a life of having to correct, “No, not [name_m]Silas[/name_m] was an S, [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] C-y-r-u-s.”
I think with sound-alike names it’s very different. [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] is a solid, well-known name even if it isn’t well used. I think it could potentially be misheard every now and again as [name_m]Silas[/name_m], but I don’t see that really being an issue if you really love the name. And with all the rhyming [name_u]Aidan[/name_u] names that exist in the world I would say once a person understands its [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] with a rus he wouldn’t have any other issues.
As far as a popular name ruling out a less popular one; that only really matters to me if my preferred nickname for the name is the same. Like, [name_f]Isadora[/name_f] is fine even with the popularity of [name_f]Isabella[/name_f] because she would be [name_f]Dora[/name_f] or [name_f]Dori[/name_f]. [name_f]Arabella[/name_f] on the other hand is out as I like [name_f]Bella[/name_f] for it. Same with all the [name_f]El[/name_f] names. As far as just sounding similar goes, it’ll be pretty hit or miss with any name imo. I’m a [name_f]Helen[/name_f] and a lot of people think I say [name_u]Kelly[/name_u] upon first introduction 
there really is no telling what/how that kind of thing will actually go, especially if you take different accents into account
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I heard the name [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] for the first time a few months ago when a mum called out [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] and a boy came running. I think it’s actually a super cool name. I think they are similar names but I wouldn’t confuse them if I heard them unless perhaps you live in a place where people have accents.
I feel like this is dodging the question a bit, but I’m going to say ‘depends on the name’ 
For me, if the names give off different enough vibes and feel like solid and separate enough, I’d be willing to use them.
Some examples:
I would use:
[name_f]Polly[/name_f] (despite popularity of [name_f]Poppy[/name_f], [name_f]Penelope[/name_f], [name_f]Molly[/name_f] and Holly)
[name_m]Lucian[/name_m] (despite popularity of [name_m]Lucas[/name_m], [name_u]Luca[/name_u] and Luke)
[name_f]Kaia[/name_f] (despite popularity of [name_u]Kai[/name_u], Maya)
[name_m]Alec[/name_m] (despite popularity of Alex)
I wouldn’t use:
[name_f]Liv[/name_f] (due to popularity of [name_f]Olivia[/name_f] ‘Liv’)
[name_f]Emilia[/name_f] (due to popularity of Amelia)
So, [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] and [name_m]Silas[/name_m] are fine for me, as they have very different vibes, look very different and both feel solid and distinctive enough!
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It’s something I take into consideration but I generally find the more I like a name the less concern I have. If it’s a popular name I like well enough or I feel neutral towards, I won’t mind much. If it’s a popular name I don’t like, it’ll bother me more. I also think the overall style or trend a name belongs to is more important than sharing similar sounds to a particular name.
When we named our son recently, I checked the Australian Top 100 for similar names. I found one that shared an ending and many that were in the same vintage nickname style. It was more an exercise in preparation rather than finding reasons not to use the name. [name_f]My[/name_f] feelings about the name weren’t going to change.
[name_m]Silas[/name_m] and [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] have very different vibes so I don’t think of them as similar. If the name is read from a name tag or a form for instance, it won’t be confused with [name_m]Silas[/name_m]. The only situation you would be dealing with is verbal introductions. People can mishear in noisy environments and sometimes they’re just on autopilot and hear what they’re expecting to hear. It’s hard to avoid with any name as @GreenEyes375 has pointed out.
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To me [name_m]Silas[/name_m] and [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] are completely different. Different sound, vibe, everything. I would honestly never mix them up! 
I would avoid using a rare name that sounds like a popular name to avoid it always being mistaken for the popular name. However I don’t think a name ranking outside the top 10 like [name_m]Silas[/name_m] fits into this category. I’ve never met a [name_m]Silas[/name_m].
Personally for example Id hesitate to use [name_u]Koa[/name_u] with [name_u]Noah[/name_u] being so popular for boys but thats just me. It may not bother some people at all.
For me, it does depend on the name. I sometimes question [name_f]Adelaide[/name_f] due to the popularity of [name_f]Adeline[/name_f] & [name_u]Addison[/name_u], etc. Especially since the nn “Addie” is also very popular.
I’ve never personally met a [name_m]Silas[/name_m], and even so, I feel [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] is a completely different name! I would say to use the name you love, because even common names can be misheard and misspelled all the same
I think [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] can stand on its own as a name, for example, [name_f]Miley[/name_f] [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m]. Her name and family are well known, and I doubt most people have thought of it as [name_m]Silas[/name_m] who hasn’t known them at all. If it’s a common name in your area, then here and there he might need to correct it. I have an ethnic name and live in the [name_u]South[/name_u], so I’ve heard variations of my name, despite it being simply spelled lol. What I’m trying to say is, that people could butcher it now and then, but I doubt something like [name_m]Cyrus[/name_m] will ever be overbearing. It’s not common but it’s not out of the box, it shares similarities to [name_m]Lucas[/name_m], [name_m]Marcus[/name_m], etc. which are popular. Also, rank 300 isn’t that low, I’m not sure what country you’re in, but in the US that’s pretty decent.
Also when it comes to avoiding popular names, I wouldn’t mind naming my kid a variation of it if it’s not as popular.