Why was Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone changed to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone?

Answer 1

The name was changed for the US release because the Scholastic Corporation felt that children in the USA would be too unfamiliar with the word Philosopher, and it might affect sales of the book. After discussion with J.K Rowling, she suggested they use 'Sorcerer' instead.

The origin of the story would be the Philosopher's stone an imaginative thing which is believed to be able to transmutate any basic metal into gold and also produce the elixir of life. Old Alchemy search for this with their lives in order to prolong life and live luxuriously. Both wanted by all men.

Answer 2

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the original title of the first book of J.K Rowling's Harry Potter series (originally published in Britain).

When her publishers were releasing it in the U.S.A, they felt that the word 'sorcerer' would be more recognisable to the children there rather than 'philosopher' so the word was changed for US readers.

J.K. Rowling was against it, but as this was her first Harry Potter book, she did not have much power.

Answer 3

When it was published in the UK, the first book in the series was titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The title was changed for the American release as the publisher didn't think US children would know what a philosopher was. Some other countries also use the word sorcerer.

Answer 4

The name of the book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was changed because the original title of the book was not globally accepted as a title. The original title of the book was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Answer 5

One is the British edition, one is the U.S. edition. They are basically the same; probably the U.S. edition ("Sorcerer's Stone") has the spelling revised, to conform to U.S. spelling, for example color instead of colour.

Answer 6

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone are the same book just with different titles. When published in the US, the publisher didn't think that American children would know what a Philosopher was. Rowling suggested the change to Sorcerer and it was thought that would be more exciting.

Some British English terms were also changed to American English ones. Jumper to sweater, mum to mom etc.

Answer 7

The change was actually the other way around. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the original title.

The title was changed by the American publisher who believed that American children wouldn't know what a Philosopher was and that Sorcerer sounded more exciting. J.K. Rowling allowed the change and suggested the word Sorcerer.

Rowling has revealed that she regrets allowing the change and had she been in a better position she would have fought against it.

Answer 8

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the original title of the book. When it was published in the US, the title was changed to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as the American publisher thought children wouldn't know what a philosopher was and that sorcerer sounded more exciting.

Answer 9

If you're asking for the reason the titles are different, it's because the publisher felt most American children would be more interested in reading about a "Sorcerer" than a "Philosopher". There is no significant difference in the story, though a few peculiarly British terms were changed to the nearest American equivalent and the spelling was corrected.

Answer 10

The title was changed by the American publisher who believed that American children wouldn't know what a Philosopher was and that "Sorcerer" sounded more exciting. J.K. Rowling allowed the change and suggested the word Sorcerer.

Rowling has revealed that she regrets allowing the change and had she been in a better position she would have fought against it.