John Rankin may refer to:
- John Rankin (abolitionist) (1793–1886), American Presbyterian minister, educator and abolitionist
- John Rankin (Canadian politician) (1820–?), represented Renfrew North in the 1st Canadian Parliament
- John E. Rankin (1882–1960), United States Representative from Mississippi
- John M. Rankin (1873–1947), Iowa state representative and attorney general
- John W. Rankin, captain of the USS Phoenix cruiser at Pearl Harbor
- John Walker Rankin (1823–1869), American politician
- John Rankin (British politician) (1890–1973), Scottish Member of Parliament, 1955–1973
- John Rankin (diplomat) (born 1957), British diplomat
- John Morris Rankin (1959–2000), Canadian pianist and fiddler, member of The Rankin Family
- John Rankin (footballer, born 1983), Scottish footballer with Ross County, Hibernian, Dundee United etc
- John Rankin (1910s footballer), Scottish footballer Third Lanark, Airdrieonians
- Johnnie Rankin (1901–1952), Scottish footballer with Hamilton, Dundee, Charlton, Chelsea etc