What title did J.K. Rowling use for the United States edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone?

The United States edition of J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter novel was titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

The British title was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, published in 1997. Scholastic, the American publisher, changed “Philosopher” to “Sorcerer” for the U.S. market because editors believed American children would find the latter term more immediately understandable and appealing. The story itself remained the same.

The change required alterations inside the text as well. In the American edition, references to “the Philosopher’s Stone” became “the Sorcerer’s Stone,” including dialogue and narration. Later books generally kept their British titles in the United States, although spelling and some vocabulary were localized.

The title difference is one of the most recognizable examples of regional publishing in the series. It can also cause catalog confusion: the two titles refer to the same first novel, not to separate Harry Potter adventures.