J.K. Rowling’s birth name was Joanne Rowling.
She was born Joanne Rowling on 31 July 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England. The initial “K” was not part of her birth name. Her publishers wanted a name that might appeal broadly to young readers, and Rowling chose “K” to honor her paternal grandmother, Kathleen.
Rowling married Jorge Arantes in 1992, and her first daughter was born in 1993. After that marriage ended, she later married Neil Murray in 2001. These relationships explain why biographies may mention the surnames Arantes, Murray, and Rowling, but her birth name remained Joanne Rowling.
A common mix-up is assuming that the “K” stands for Rowling’s middle name. It does not: Kathleen was added as a literary initial rather than being part of the name recorded at birth. Her professional name therefore differs from her original name in both form and purpose.