I not sure I am persuaded that the console method is "easier" than the GUI method, It's certainly not less keystrokes....however, you might find the Incremental Saver useful in this instance then, if you did not already know about it. It does what you want, except for the custom naming of saves. It works great for me because I play using an XBox controller emulator (where accessing the console is most certainly more complicated than just saving via the game menu).
Yeah, I saw the incremental saver and plan to use it in my next game. Right now I'm messing around with my own mod ideas after finishing my first game, so I'm not really actively playing at the moment. The incremental saver was posted exactly a day after I finished (according to the date on my hardcoe achievement), so I haven't had a chance to use it yet.
Anyway, to each his own on the saving thing. Typing words is not really 1:1 keystroke-equivalent with interacting with a GUI via either keyboard or mouse so it's kind of apples and oranges. Personally, I'd rather type a command completely at my own pace than pausing and validating that the correct item is selected between keystroke, but that's just me. In any case, sorry for derailing the topic by being vague about my point the first time.