Meaning of Nibong Tebal

Until today I've never figured out why Nibong Tebal is 高渊 [Cantonese pronunciation: Koh Yuen] in Chinese characters. High/Tall Surge? In Malay language, Nibong is a type of palm tree (Oncosperma tigillarium), Tebal is thick, so the area must have had lots of nibong trees in old times. Perhaps the Chinese paid more attention to the Kerian River tides instead.