Notable people with the name Padmanabhan include:

• C. M. Padmanabhan Nair (?–1977), an Indian politician
• Dayal Padmanabhan, an Indian film director and producer
• Govindarajan Padmanabhan, a renowned biochemist and a pioneer in Indian biotechnology
• Manjula Padmanabhan, a playwright, journalist, comic strip artist, and children's book author
• Mannathu Padmanabha Pillai (1878–1970), an Indian social reformer and a freedom fighter
• Mohan Padmanabhan, an Indian economist and journalist
• Neela Padmanabhan, a Tamil writer
• Padmanabhan Balaram, an Indian biochemist
• Padmanabhan Nair (1928–2007), an eminent Kathakali exponent
• Padmanabhan Palpu (1963–1950), a bacteriologist and social revolutionary
• Padmanabhan Sivadas, an Indian cricketer
• Sundararajan Padmanabhan, the former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army
• Thanu Padmanabhan (1957–2021), an Indian theoretical physicist
• Thinakkal Padmanabhan, a short story writer
• Uma Padmanabhan, a Tamil socialite, actress and news presenter
• Vijay Padmanabhan, a law professor
• Dr. R. S. Padmanabhan, dental surgeon of Karnataka -1946, Qualified at Vienna

• Budget Padmanabhan, a South Indian Tamil film