What was J.K. Rowling’s birth name before she became widely known by her pen name?

J.K. Rowling’s birth name was Joanne Rowling.

She was born on 31 July 1965 at Yate General Hospital near Bristol, England, and was named Joanne after her grandmother. The initial “K” in her published name does not represent a second birth name. Rowling adopted it at the request of her publisher, who believed that a name with initials might appeal more broadly to young readers, including boys.

The “K” stands for Kathleen, the first name of her paternal grandmother, although Kathleen was not part of Rowling’s original given name. Rowling has explained that she chose the initial for professional use before the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

A related source of confusion is Rowling’s married name, Joanne Murray, which she used during her first marriage. She later became known professionally as J.K. Rowling, while her crime novels were published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.