What name was used for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the United States?

In the United States, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

The first Harry Potter novel appeared in the United Kingdom in 1997 with the title Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. For the American edition, Scholastic changed “Philosopher” to “Sorcerer” before publication in 1998. The change was intended to make the magical premise clearer to American children and to avoid possible confusion over the word “philosopher.”

The story, characters, chapters, and plot remained the same; the title was the principal difference. Later editions and translations used titles appropriate to their markets, so readers may encounter more than one English title for the same novel.

The British title refers to the legendary philosopher’s stone, a substance associated with transforming metals and creating an elixir of life. The American title refers to the same object within the novel.