What is the full name of J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter novels?

The full name of J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter novels, is Joanne Rowling.

She was born Joanne Rowling on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England. The initials in her pen name do not stand for a first and middle name in the way many readers assume. Her publishers wanted a name that might appeal broadly to young readers, and “K” was added in honor of her grandmother, Kathleen.

Rowling later used the surname Murray during part of her life, but her public author name remained J.K. Rowling. She has also published crime fiction under the name Robert Galbraith, which is a separate writing identity rather than her birth name.

The initials are therefore a branding choice built around Joanne Rowling’s name, not evidence that she was born with the full name “Joanna Kathleen Rowling.”