Why did the first Harry Potter book have a different name in the US and England?

Question

Why was the first Harry Potter book called Sorcerer's Stone in the U.S. but called the Philosopher's Stone in England?

Answer 1

The Philosopher's Stone is a reference to a mythical story in England which the book is somewhat based around, and the american audience would not have much knowledge about that, so Rowling allowed them to change it, then regretted the decision a few months later.
Basically, it is more of a cultural difference than anything.

Answer 2

Because you would't have liked the original english name. Or understood. You surely know what is a sorcerer, but how many kids know what is a Philosopher's Stone? That's called market vs. marketing.

Answer 3

I think that was because they didn't think their American audience would have understood what the Philosopher's Stone was, but "Sorcerer's Stone" kind of got the idea across.

Answer 4

it's all based on the audience. Americans understand what a sorceror is. You get an automatic image in your head. But if you saw the word philosopher, you'd have to think about it, even if just for 10 seconds.

In England, it's vice versa. It makes sense as philosopher. It's how they learned it, how they were taught.

Answer 5

It is Sorcers stone in Europe, and Philosophers stone in America.

I heard that it was because the Americans were opposed to the title "Sorcerer's Stone" because it suggests "Witch Craft" and that would be a bad influence for their children. It was supposedly one of those extreme parent associations who opposed it. I remember hearing about that, they made a big ordeal about how the title would persuade children to take up Witch Craft.

The same way Cookie Monster teaches kids to eat unhealthy, and Bert and Ernie are not brothers as I always though but gay lovers... calling the book "Sorcerer's Stone" would create zombie kids who are all going to flock to the horror of maybe discovering a new 'belief' system and study Wicca and the supernatural...

If it was just a matter of not knowing the legend of the "Sorcerer's Stone" They would not have changed the title.

Answer 6

Because the american publishers are probably thinking something along the lines of,"A philoopher is somebody who takes perspective on life and a sorcerer is somebody who conjures up magical stones." Something like that.

Answer 7

Cause in England Philosopher's is a important place and where the movie took place

Answer 8

It's because of the book coming out in two different countries. It's a language thing.

Answer 9

I think that publishers weren't sure that americans knew about the legend of the "philospher's stone."