ðə nˈeɪm "dɹˈæɡaʊ dˈuː mˈɑːɹ" ɪz ɪn ˈɑːnɚɹ ʌv fɹænsˈɪskoʊ hoʊsˈeɪ dˈuː nˌæsɪmˈɛntoʊ, ɐ hˈiəɹoʊ ʌvðɪ ˌæbəlˈɪʃənˌɪst mˈuːvmənt ɪn sɪɹˈɑː, hˌuː ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi wˈʌn ɹᵻfjˈuːzd tə tɹænspˈoːɹt slˈeɪvz təbi sˈoʊld fˈɜːðɚ sˈaʊθ ɪnðə kˈʌntɹi.
The name "Dragão do Mar" is in honour of Francisco José do Nascimento, a hero of the abolitionist movement in Ceará, who in 1881 refused to transport slaves to be sold further south in the country.