J.K. Rowling’s signature
The two initials on every Harry Potter cover were not Rowling’s idea, and the way she signs depends on who she is writing to. Her signed first editions now sell for thousands of pounds. We could not find a freely licensed image of her signature, so read on for the story behind it.
We have not redrawn this signature yet, because we only animate signatures from freely licensed sources. The sources at the end of this page lead to the original.
Born Joanne Rowling, with no middle name. The "K" in J.K. was borrowed from her grandmother Kathleen.
Title pages and dedication pages of Harry Potter books, plus personal letters and cards.
Dealers describe black ink and, on some Goblet of Fire first editions, one of the largest and most impressive examples they have seen.
Her private letters are signed "Jo", while the public name is the initials and surname.
A pen name chosen by a publisher
She was born Joanne Rowling, with no middle name. When Bloomsbury Publishing took on the first Harry Potter book, staff suggested she use two initials rather than her full name, because they believed that young boys, the target readers, would not want to read a book written by a woman. She picked the "K" from her paternal grandmother, Kathleen Rowling, and liked how easily the two letters flow together. A signature, in other words, that began life as a marketing decision.
"Jo" for friends, the full name for fans
The Bonhams auction house sold three letters in June 2023 that Rowling had written between 1998 and 2000, together with an inscribed first paperback of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets", for £12,800 including the premium. She signed the letters "Jo" and inscribed the book "Love Jo". That is the version her friends and correspondents saw, quite different from the public name fans know from the covers of her books.
Create your Professional Signature in 5 minutes
Not a font: a signature designed for your name, in several drafts, with a practice sheet so you can write it by hand.
Signed books and what they fetch
Rowling’s signed books are among the most collected modern autographs. The dealer Nate D. Sanders sold a signed first edition, first printing of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone" for $17,000, and signed copies of "Quidditch Through the Ages" and "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" for $7,951 and $6,571. A UK dealer lists a signed first edition of "Goblet of Fire" for £1,995 and says undedicated signatures are especially sought after.
What you can learn from it
Rowling’s two names show that you can sign differently for different readers. "Jo" is for people who know you, and the initials and surname are for the public. In the same way, you can keep one formal signature for contracts and a relaxed one for notes. A Professional Signature designed by us gives you the formal version, with a practice sheet to help you write it with ease.
Sources
- Wikipedia: J. K. Rowling (pen name)
- Bonhams: three autograph letters signed by J.K. Rowling
- Nate D. Sanders: J.K. Rowling autograph in a Harry Potter book sells for $17,000
- Paul Fraser Collectibles: signed Goblet of Fire first edition
Editorial content. We are not affiliated with the people shown. We do not create copies of other people’s signatures, and signing someone else’s name is forgery.