What was the name of J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter manuscript, according to her early working title?

J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter manuscript became Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

The novel was published in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury on 26 June 1997. It introduces Harry Potter as an eleven-year-old orphan who discovers that he is a wizard and begins studying at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The manuscript established the characters, magical institutions, and long-running conflict that drive the rest of the series.

The book was titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the United States. Scholastic changed the word “Philosopher” because its editors believed American children might respond more readily to “Sorcerer.” This means the two titles refer to the same first novel, not two different books.

The expression “first manuscript” can also cause confusion because Rowling wrote substantial material before publication and revised the text during the editorial process. The canonical published title is therefore the reliable answer, while the American title is an alternate edition title rather than a separate manuscript.