Paavo is an Estonian and Finnish masculine given name, cognate to "Paul". The patronymic surname Paavolainen is derived from it.
It may refer to:
Paavo Aaltonen (1919–1962), Finnish gymnast and a three-time Olympic championPaavo Aarniokoski (1893-1961), Finnish politicianPaavo Aho (1891–1918), Finnish track and field athlete who competed in the 1912 Summer OlympicsPaavo Airola (1918–1983), nutritionist, naturopathic physician, educator and award-winning authorPaavo Arhinmäki (born 1976), Finnish politician, the incumbent Minister for Culture and Sport and a member of the Finnish ParliamentPaavo Berg (1911–1941), Finnish fighter acePaavo Berglund (1929–2012), Finnish conductorPaavo Cajander (1846–1913), Finnish poet and translatorPaavo Haavikko (1931–2008), Finnish poet and playwrightPaavo Heininen (born 1938), Finnish composer and pianistPaavo Hukkinen (1911–1988), German-Finnish actorPaavo Hynninen (1883–1960), former Finnish diplomat, Minister of Foreign AffairsPaavo Järvi (born 1962), Estonian-American conductor, and current Music Director of the Orchestre de ParisPaavo Johansson (1895–1983), Finnish athlete who competed mainly in the javelin throwPaavo Korhonen (born 1928), Finnish Nordic skier who competed in the 1950sPaavo Kotila (born 1927), former Finnish long-distance runner, Olympian, and thrice national champion in the marathonPaavo Lötjönen (born 1968), cello player for Finnish band ApocalypticaPaavo Liettu (1905–1964), Finnish track and field athlete who competed in the 1928 Summer OlympicsPaavo Lipponen (born 1941), Finnish politician and former reporterPaavo Lonkila (born 1923), Finnish farmer and cross-country skier who competed in the 1940s and 1950sPaavo Lukkariniemi (born 1941), Finnish ski jumper who competed in the mid-1960sPaavo Miettinen (1919–1985), Finnish Olympic fencerPaavo Nikula (born 1942), former Chancellor of Justice of Finland and a former Member of the Parliament of FinlandPaavo Nurmi (1897–1973), Finnish runnerPaavo Piironen (1943–1974), Finnish film actor, director and writer of the 1960s and early 1970sPaavo Puurunen (born 1973), Finnish biathletePaavo Pylkkänen (born 1959), Finnish philosopher of mindPaavo Rantanen (born 1934), former Finnish Foreign Ministry official, briefly the Minister for Foreign AffairsPaavo Ruotsalainen (1777–1852), Finnish farmer and lay preacherPaavo Siljamäki, (born 1977), Finnish trance artist, one-third of the UK based trance group Above & BeyondPaavo Susitaival (1896–1993), Finnish author, soldier and politicianPaavo Talvela (1897–1973), Finnish soldier and a Knight of the Mannerheim CrossPaavo Väyrynen (born 1946), Finnish veteran politician of the Centre PartyPaavo Vaskio (born 1931), Finnish sprint canoeist who competed in the early 1960sPaavo Vierto (1915–1941), Finnish ski jumper who competed in the early 1940sPaavo Virkkunen (1874–1959), Finnish conservative politicianPaavo Yrjölä (1902–1980), Finnish track and field athlete, won the gold medal in the decathlon at the 1928 OlympicsPaavo Noorbirch (1989-?) Last son of Paul from Hiiumaa.