Addressing the elephant in the room: why are they named that?
It's little to do with how virile they are and more to do with spermaceti organ in their forehead.

The waxy substances produced in their head were once a very valuable commodity, used to light oil lamps and lubricate machinery of the Industrial Revolution.

Geographic range:
Cosmopolitan species (i.e everywhere in the World ocean from Arctic to Antarctica)

Character info:
Essex work in navy alongside Arleigh and put up with his cocky attitude.