Pearl of the Orient
The state of Penang is named after Penang Island, which was, in turn, named after the areca nut palm ("Areca catechu", family: Palmae), also known as "pinang" in Malay. To this day, the island has also been known as the Pearl of the Orient, or "Pulau Mutiara" (The Island of Pearls) in Malay.