Fanning is a surname of Irish origin. Notable people with the surname include:
Bede Fanning (1885–1970), Australian public servantBernard Fanning (born 1969), Australian musician, best known for his role as the lead singer of the Australian rock band PowderfingerBuist M. Fanning (born 1949), American biblical Greek scholarDakota Fanning (born 1994), American child actressDave Fanning, Irish television and radio personalityDetective Fanning (born 1967), character in 2004 film Collateral played by actor Mark RuffaloEdmund Fanning (1769–1841), American explorerEdmund Fanning (colonial administrator) (1739–1818), American-born administrator for the British government in New York and Loyalist; later a governor in CanadaElle Fanning (born 1998), American child actress and younger sister of DakotaEric Kenneth Fanning (born 1968), United States Secretary of the ArmyFred Fanning (1921–1993), Australian rules footballerJim Fanning (1927–2015), former catcher, manager and front office executive in Major League BaseballJimmy Valiant (born James Harold Fanning, 1942), American retired professional wrestlerJuan Fanning (1824–1881), Peruvian naval officer and war heroKay Fanning (1927–2000), American newspaper editor and publisher, first American woman to edit a national newspaperKen Fanning (born 1947), American wilderness guide and retired politicianEugene Michael "Mick" Fanning, Australian professional surfer and two time world championNathaniel Fanning (1755–1804), American naval officer and war heroRonan Fanning (1941–2017), Irish historianShawn Fanning (born 1980), computer programmer and creator of the original Napster applicationThomas A. Fanning (a.k.a. Tom Fanning), American chief executive.Vincent Fanning, Irish, first manager of Cork Airport (1961).