praia de gragoatá was named after the bromelia (tillandsia cyanea), a type of flower abundant in the area, and also called gravatá, or caroá.

set just by the forte de gragoatá, a fort built between the xvii and xviii century, formerly known as forte de são domingos, in honor of the saint patron of the nearby chapel paróquia de são domingos.

gragoatá beach is also near the campus of the universidade federal fluminense, one of the most important universities in rio de janeiro state.