it was named after a nest of kuntilanak terrorized the sultanate in kalimantan. pontianak is singular while kuntilanak is plural. another name is mati-anak as it refers to a woman dying during childbirth. the trauma and anguish are deemed to have contributed to the soul becumming vengeful and wrathful and not going away in peace.
The body of a dead female, whether she was murdered or commited suicide, is high in demand in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia. Shamans there would extract oil from the chin and made it into Nam Man Prai oil.