Kanako is a feminine Japanese given name.

Possible writings

• 加奈子, "addition, (means nothing on its own), child"
• 香奈子, "fragrance, (means nothing on its own), child"
• 佳南子, "good, fine, etc., south, child"
• 香菜子, "fragrance, vegetables, child"
• 可南子, "acceptable, south, child"

People with the name

• Kanako Domori (堂森 佳南子, born 1975), Japanese wheelchair tennis player
• Kanako Enomoto (榎本 加奈子, born 1980), Japanese actor and model
• Kanako Fukaura (深浦 加奈子, 1960-2008), Japanese actor
• Kanako Higuchi (樋口 可南子, born 1958), Japanese actor
• Kanako Hirai (平井 香菜子, born 1984), Japanese volleyball player
• Kanako Itō (いとう かなこ, born 1973), Japanese singer
• Kanako Itō (footballer) (伊藤 香菜子, born 1983), Japanese women's footballer
• Kanako Mitsuhashi (三橋 加奈子, born 1978), Japanese voice actor
• Kanako Miyamoto, (born 1989), Japanese voice actress and singer
• Kanako Murakami (村上 佳菜子, born 1994), Japanese figure skater
• Kanako Murata
• Kanako Naito (内藤 香菜子, 1980 – 2019), Japanese female volleyball player
• Kanako Omura (大村 加奈子, born 1976), Japanese volleyball player
• Kanako Otsuji (尾辻 かな子, born 1974), Japanese politician and activist
• Kanako Sakai (酒井 香奈子, born 1986), Japanese voice actress
• Kanako Takatsuki (高槻 かなこ, born 1993), Japanese voice actress and singer
• Kanako Tanikawa (谷川 可奈子, born 1970), Japanese cyclist
• Kanako Tateno (立野 香菜子, born 1981), Japanese voice actor
• Kanako Tōjō (東條 加那子, born 1984), Japanese voice actress
• Kanako Urai (浦井 佳奈子, born 1981), Japanese professional wrestler, journalist and artist
• Kanako Watanabe (渡部 香生子, born 1996), Japanese swimmer
• Kanako Yanagihara (柳原 可奈子, born 1986), Japanese actor and comedian
• Kanako Yonekura (米倉 加奈子, born 1976), Japanese badminton player

Fictional characters

• Kanako Yasaka (八坂 神奈子), a character from Touhou Project
• Kanako Kurusu (来栖 加奈子), a character in the light novel series Oreimo