What was the title of J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter manuscript?

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

The manuscript became the first published novel in the series. Bloomsbury released it in the United Kingdom in 1997, introducing Harry, Hogwarts, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and the central conflict with Lord Voldemort.

For the United States edition, the title was changed to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The alteration was made because the publisher believed “sorcerer” would be more immediately understandable to American readers. This creates a common source of confusion when identifying the title of the original manuscript or British edition.

The wording “first Harry Potter manuscript” refers to the first novel, not an early draft with a different working title. Later books used titles such as Chamber of Secrets, Goblet of Fire, and Order of the Phoenix, but none was Rowling’s debut manuscript.