Yep, that would be the raw code for placing something in quotation marks.
As for how many pages actually need this, I think you're overestimating. It's not really "hundreds of pages". It's about a hundred pages total that have names in quotation marks. Those that already had {{title}} implemented have been switched over, so no pages actively need switching now (though a few may never have had {{title}} properly emplaced).
I can see that a template might grease the wheels here, as it were. If ya want a template for future use, I could come up with one fairly easily. Any particular name you want (that's not {{title}})? Maybe {{name}}? Or {{page}}? I dunno which you'd prefer, or if you have a name that you think more sensible.