What is their proper name, so I can call around and ask?

Not sure what the proper name is. Call a few block suppliers or search
for "green driveways".

I have seen a few boat parking space locally that were built from your
standard old 8x8x16 blocks sit on a gravel base and filled with dirt. A
herringbone patter looks better that just placing them in rows.

They seem to call them many different names:

Open Paving blocks
Permeable Paving Units
Open cell concrete blocks

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006...s_pavingop.php