Rantanen is a Finnish surname of Virtanen type derived from the word ranta. Notable people with the surname include:
- Anssi Rantanen (born 1982), Finnish ice hockey player
- Eelis Rantanen (1879–1946), Finnish schoolteacher and politician
- Heli Rantanen (born 1970), Finnish javelin thrower
- Jari Rantanen (born 1961), Finnish footballer
- Kaarlo Rantanen (born 1988), Finnish footballer
- Marko Rantanen (born 1975), Finnish ice hockey goaltender
- Mari Rantanen, Finnish politician
- Matti Rantanen (accordionist) (born 1952), Finnish accordionist
- Matti Rantanen (rally driver) (born 1981), Finnish rally driver
- Merja Rantanen (born 1980), Finnish orienteering competitor
- Mikko Rantanen (born 1996), Finnish ice hockey player, forward for the Colorado Avalanche
- Paavo Rantanen (born 1934), former Finnish Foreign Ministry official, who was briefly the Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Pasi Rantanen (born 1969), Finnish singer for the band Thunderstone
- Piritta Rantanen (born 1979), Finnish politician
- Siiri Rantanen (1924–2023), Finnish cross-country skier
- Vesa Rantanen (born 1975), Finnish pole vaulter
- Yrjö Rantanen (1950–2021), Finnish chess grandmaster