I rewrote your points because you seemed to criticize how some people answered your question, saying they were talking about the person, not the name. But in your points, you suggested faces. That is the person. For some people, maybe that is how the name comes to mind, and if so, how does one separate a visual of the person from their face when you recall their name?
I don’t know, it just seemed critical of people’s answers when from what I’ve read, they’ve tried to give you what you want, but you don’t seem to accept it. I, myself, spent quite a bit of time on this question, trying to figure out exactly how I recall a person’s name. I think others have, too.
You’re correct regarding my statement of, I think it may be impossible to recall a name without recalling the person. I was wrongly thinking only of people I know, not characters in novels, etc. That hadn’t even occurred to me.
Personally, I don’t think it’s possible to establish what is missing or what is present in place of a name that you can’t think of. What’s present for me when I can’t think of a name are thoughts, lots of them: memories, “sounds like”, looks like, wrote a book called XYZ, “why can’t I think of it, it’s on the tip of my tongue”, etc. There are so many brain functions and science doesn’t have a clue how they take place that it boggles the mind. That’s what it feels like you ultimately are looking for.
I’m not arguing for argument’s sake. Just trying to explain me and understand you. Sorry for the length.