Notable people with the name Padmanabhan include:
C. M. Padmanabhan Nair, an Indian politicianDayal Padmanabhan, an Indian film director and producerGovindarajan Padmanabhan, a renowned biochemist and a pioneer in Indian biotechnologyManjula Padmanabhan, a playwright, journalist, comic strip artist, and children's book authorMannathu Padmanabha Pillai, an Indian social reformer and a freedom fighterMohan Padmanabhan, an Indian economist and journalistNeela Padmanabhan, a Tamil writerPadmanabhan Balaram, an Indian biochemistPadmanabhan Nair, an eminent Kathakali exponentPadmanabhan Palpu, a bacteriologist and social revolutionaryPadmanabhan Sivadas, an Indian cricketerSundararajan Padmanabhan, the former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian ArmyThanu Padmanabhan, an Indian theoretical physicistThinakkal Padmanabhan, a short story writerUma Padmanabhan, a Tamil socialite, actress and news presenterVijay Padmanabhan, a law professor