Why was the 1st book in the Harry Potter series renamed?

Answer 1

When Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was being published in the US, the publisher thought that American readers would not understand the term philosopher. J.K. Rowling suggested the word sorcerer. She later stated that she regrets allowing the change and would have fought it if she was in a stronger position at the time.

References to the stone within the film were shot twice, once referring to it as the philosopher's stone, and once as the sorcerer's stone.

Answer 2

The American publisher changed the title (with J.K. Rowling's approval) as they believed that American children wouldn't know what a Philosopher was and that Sorcerer sounded more exciting.

J.K. Rowling later stated that had she been in a better financial position she would have fought the change and she regrets allowing it.

Answer 3

Yes. The book was originally titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone but the title was changed to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for the US release as the American publisher did not believe that American children would know what a philosopher was.

Answer 4

The original publication was entitled "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" The American publisher thought that Sorcerer might have more appeal to a US reader than Philosopher.