What name was used for the U.S. edition of J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter book?

The U.S. edition of J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

In the United Kingdom and many other markets, the book is called Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Scholastic, the American publisher, changed “Philosopher” to “Sorcerer” before publication because editors believed the word might be less familiar or less appealing to American children.

The change affected more than the cover. Some references to the title were also altered in the American text, including the wording of the book’s title within the story. Rowling agreed to the change, although she later expressed regret that the title had been altered.

The novel introduces Harry Potter, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the central conflict with Lord Voldemort. The different titles refer to the same first novel, not to separate stories. The UK edition was published in 1997, while the U.S. edition appeared in 1998.