formalize typename(), and add its reverse type_from_string()

Sometime typename() is used, sometimes type_names[] is accessed directly.
Let's enforce typename() all the time which allows for validating the
type.

Also let's add a function to go from a name to a type and use it instead
of manual memcpy() when appropriate.

Signed-off-by: Nicolas Pitre <nico@cam.org>
Signed-off-by: Junio C Hamano <junkio@cox.net>