Look up 小林 in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林, lit. 'small forest') is the 8th most common Japanese surname.^[1] A less common variant is 古林. Notable people with the surname include:

Arts

Film, television, theater and music

Ai Kobayashi (小林愛, born 1973), Japanese actress and voice actress
Akiji Kobayashi (小林昭二, 1930–1996), Japanese actor
Akira Kobayashi (小林旭, born 1938), Japanese actor
Haru Kobayashi (小林ハル, 1900–2005), Japanese musician
Katsuya Kobayashi (小林且弥, born 1981), Japanese actor
Kei Kobayashi (小林希唯, born 1976), Japanese voice actress
Keiju Kobayashi (小林桂樹, 1923–2010), Japanese actor
Kendo Kobayashi (ケンドーコバヤシ, born 1972), Japanese comedian and actor
Kentarō Kobayashi (小林賢太郎, born 1973), Japanese comedian, actor, dramaturge, theatre director and manga artist
Kiyoshi Kobayashi (小林清志, born 1933), Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator
Masaki Kobayashi (小林正樹, 1916–1996), Japanese film director
Michitaka Kobayashi (小林通孝, born 1955), Japanese voice actor
Naoki Kobayashi (小林直己, born 1984), Japanese dancer and actor
Nenji Kobayashi (小林稔侍, born 1941), Japanese actor
Ryoko Kobayashi (小林涼子, born 1989), Japanese actress
Satomi Kobayashi (小林聡美, born 1965), Japanese actress
Sayaka Kobayashi (小林さやか, born 1970), Japanese actress and voice actress
Seidō Kobayashi (小林正道, born 1944), Japanese musician
Seiran Kobayashi (小林星蘭, born 2004), Japanese actress
Shigeo Kobayashi (小林成男, born 1970), Japanese actor
Yasuhiro Kobayashi (小林靖宏, born 1959), Japanese musician
Yui Kobayashi (小林由依, born 1999), Japanese singer and model
Yukiko Kobayashi (小林夕岐子, born 1946), Japanese actress
Yuko Kobayashi (小林優子, born 1961), Japanese voice actress
Yumiko Kobayashi (小林由美子, born 1979), Japanese voice actress

Literature

Audrey Kobayashi (born 1951), Canadian geographer and writer
Hideo Kobayashi (小林秀雄, 1902–1983), Japanese writer and literary critic
Katsuyo Kobayashi (小林カツ代, 1937–2014), Japanese chef and food writer
Kobayashi Issa (小林一茶, 1763–1828), Japanese poet
Takiji Kobayashi (小林多喜二, 1903–1933), Japanese writer and communist
Tamai Kobayashi (born 1965), Canadian writer
Yasuko Kobayashi (小林靖子, born 1965), Japanese screenwriter
Yasumi Kobayashi (小林泰三, born 1962), Japanese writer

Music

Aika Kobayashi (小林愛香, born 1993), Japanese singer and voice actress
Aimi Kobayashi (小林愛実, born 1995), Japanese classical pianist
Chie Kobayashi (小林千絵, born 1963), Japanese actress and singer
Hana Kobayashi (born 1982), Venezuelan singer
Kaori Kobayashi (小林香織, born 1981), Japanese jazz saxophonist and flautist
Key Kobayashi (小林啓, Kobayashi Kei), Japanese music producer, better known as Kobametal
Megumi Kobayashi (小林恵, born 1977), Japanese model, actress and singer
Ron Kobayashi, American jazz pianist
Sachiko Kobayashi (小林幸子, born 1953), Japanese enka singer and voice actress
Sanae Kobayashi (小林沙苗, born 1980), Japanese voice actress and singer
Saori Kobayashi (小林早織), Japanese video game composer and pianist
Satoru Kobayashi (disambiguation), multiple people
Sumio Kobayashi (小林純生, born 1982), Japanese classical composer
Takeshi Kobayashi (小林武史, born 1959), Japanese keyboardist, lyricist, composer, arranger and record producer
Yo Kobayashi (小林洋, born 1981), Japanese roboticist
Yū Kobayashi (小林ゆう, born 1982), Japanese voice actress and singer

Other artists

Kobayashi Eitaku (小林永濯, 1843–1890), Japanese artist
Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親, 1847–1915), Japanese ukiyo-e painter and printmaker
Kokei Kobayashi (小林古径, 1883–1957), Japanese painter
Jin Kobayashi (小林尽, born 1977), Japanese manga artist
Kobayashi Keisei (小林敬生, born 1944), Japanese artist
Kunio Kobayashi (bonsai artist) (小林國雄 born 1948), Japanese bonsai artist
Meison Kobayashi (小林鳴村, 1889–?), Japanese photographer
Motofumi Kobayashi (小林源文, born 1951), Japanese manga artist
Naomi Kobayashi (小林尚美, born 1945), Japanese artist
Norio Kobayashi (小林のりお, born 1952), Japanese photographer
Shinichiro Kobayashi (小林伸一郎), Japanese photographer
Robert Kobayashi (1925–2015), American artist
Tomoki Kobayashi (小林智樹), Japanese anime director
Toshihiko Kobayashi (小林俊彦), Japanese manga artist
Tsuneo Kobayashi (小林常夫, born 1965), Japanese anime director
Yoshinori Kobayashi (小林善範, born 1953), Japanese manga artist
Yūshi Kobayashi (小林祐史, 1898–1988), Japanese photographer

Military

Kobayashi Torasaburō (小林虎三郎, 1828–1877), Japanese samurai
Masami Kobayashi (小林仁, 1890–1977), Imperial Japanese Navy admiral
Seizō Kobayashi (小林躋造, 1877–1962), Imperial Japanese Navy admiral and Governor-General of Taiwan

Politics and law

Ann Kobayashi (born 1937), American politician and businesswoman
Bert T. Kobayashi (1916–2005), Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii
Bertrand Kobayashi (fl. 2010s), American politician
Leslie E. Kobayashi (born 1957), American judge
Kazumi Kobayashi (小林一三, born 1936), Japanese politician, 6th Mayor of Niitsu, Niigata
Masao Kobayashi (小林正夫, born 1947), Japanese politician
Mieko Kobayashi (小林美恵子, born 1958), Japanese politician

Scientists and engineers

Hisashi Kobayashi (小林久志, born 1938), Japanese electrical engineer and computer scientist
Kevin Wesley Kobayashi, American engineer
Kiyoshi Kobayashi (professor) (小林潔司), Japanese academic
Shoshichi Kobayashi (小林昭七, 1932–2012), Japanese-American mathematician
Riki Kobayashi (1924–2013), American chemical engineer
Makoto Kobayashi (小林誠 born 1944), Japanese physicist
Takao Kobayashi (小林隆男, born 1961), Japanese amateur astronomer
Tatsuo Kobayashi (小林龍生, born 1951), Japanese computer scientist
Toru Kobayashi (小林徹), Japanese astronomer
Toshiyuki Kobayashi (小林俊行, born 1962), Japanese mathematician

Sports

Baseball

Masahide Kobayashi (小林雅英, born 1974), Japanese baseball player
Ryokan Kobayashi (小林亮寛, born 1979), Japanese baseball player
Seiji Kobayashi (小林誠司, born 1989), Japanese baseball player
Shigeru Kobayashi (小林繁, 1952–2010), Japanese baseball player

Football (soccer)

Daigo Kobayashi (小林大悟, born 1983), Japanese footballer
Fumiya Kobayashi (小林史八, born 1987), Japanese footballer
George Kobayashi (小林ジョージ, born 1947), Japanese footballer
Hidemasa Kobayashi (小林秀征, born 1994), Japanese footballer
Hiroki Kobayashi (小林弘記, born 1977), Japanese footballer
Hiroki Kobayashi (footballer, born 1992), Japanese footballer
Jun Kobayashi (小林洵, born 1999), Japanese footballer
Kan Kobayashi (小林幹, born 1999), Japanese footballer
Masamitsu Kobayashi (小林成光, born 1978), Japanese footballer
Minoru Kobayashi (小林稔, born 1976), Japanese footballer
Paulinho Kobayashi (born 1970), Brazilian footballer
Rikako Kobayashi (小林里歌子, born 1997), Japanese women's footballer
Riku Kobayashi (小林里駆, born 2001), Japanese footballer
Ryo Kobayashi (小林亮, born 1982), Japanese footballer
Ryota Kobayashi (小林亮太, born 1988), Japanese footballer
Seigo Kobayashi (小林成豪, born 1994), Japanese footballer
Shinji Kobayashi (小林伸二, born 1960), Japanese footballer and manager
Shota Kobayashi (古林将太, born 1991), Japanese footballer
Tadao Kobayashi (小林忠生, born 1930), Japanese footballer and manager
Takamichi Kobayashi (小林高道, born 1979), Japanese footballer
Tatsuki Kobayashi (小林竜樹, born 1985), Japanese footballer
Teruaki Kobayashi (小林久晃, born 1979), Japanese footballer
Tomomitsu Kobayashi (小林智光, born 1995), Japanese footballer
Yasutaka Kobayashi (小林康剛, born 1980), Japanese footballer
Yayoi Kobayashi (小林弥生, born 1981), Japanese women's footballer
Yoshiyuki Kobayashi (小林慶行, born 1978), Japanese footballer
Yōsuke Kobayashi (小林陽介, born 1983), Japanese footballer
Yu Kobayashi (footballer) (小林悠, born 1987), Japanese footballer
Yugo Kobayashi (footballer) (born 1991), Japanese footballer
Yuki Kobayashi (football, born 2000), Japanese footballer
Yuzo Kobayashi (小林祐三, born 1985), Japanese footballer
Zach Kobayashi (born 1997), American soccer player

Wrestling

Abdullah Kobayashi (アブドーラ小林, born 1976), or Yosuke Kobayashi, Japanese professional wrestler
Eita Kobayashi (小林瑛太, born 1991), Japanese professional wrestler
Kaho Kobayashi (小林香萌, born 1992), Japanese professional wrestler
Kenta Kobayashi (小林健太, born 1981), also known as Hideo Itami, Japanese professional wrestler
Kuniaki Kobayashi (小林邦昭, born 1956), Japanese professional wrestler
Takeshi Kobayashi (wrestler) (小林武, born 1948), Japanese sport wrestler

Other athletes

Chisa Kobayashi (小林千紗, born 1987), Japanese synchronized swimmer
Celes Kobayashi (born 1974), Japanese boxer
Daisuke Kobayashi (小林大祐, born 1987), Japanese basketball player
Dawn Kobayashi (born 1971), Jamaican sport shooter
Etsuko Kobayashi (born 1992), Japanese cricketer
Fujio Kobayashi (小林富士夫, born 1944), Japanese golfer
Fumikazu Kobayashi (小林史和, born 1978), Japanese middle-distance runner
Hideo Kobayashi (canoeist) (小林英男, born 1943), Japanese sprint canoeist
Hiroko Kobayashi (小林弘子, born 1970), Japanese slalom canoeist
Izumi Kobayashi (小林泉美, born 1977), Japanese Go player
Junshirō Kobayashi (小林潤志郎, born 1991), Japanese ski jumper
Kai Kobayashi (小林快, born 1993), Japanese racewalker
Kamui Kobayashi (小林可夢偉, born 1986), racing driver
Kazuo Kobayashi (小林一男, 1908–?), Japanese diver
Kenji Kobayashi (小林健二, born 1957), Japanese shogi player
Kenya Kobayashi (小林研也, born 1983), Japanese gymnast
Koichi Kobayashi (小林光一, born 1952), Japanese Go player
Kunio Kobayashi (karateka) (小林國雄 born 1967), Japanese karateka
Maki Kobayashi (小林眞樹, born 1965), Japanese rower
Marino Kobayashi (小林海, born 1994), Japanese cyclist
Masanori Kobayashi (小林正則, born 1976), Japanese golfer
Miki Kobayashi (小林美貴, born 1987), Japanese biathlete
Misaki Kobayashi (小林海咲, born 1990), Japanese squash player
Miwako Kobayashi (小林美和子, born 1952), Japanese swimmer
Nobuaki Kobayashi (小林伸明, 1942–2019), Japanese three-cushion billiards player
Norihito Kobayashi (小林範仁, born 1982), Japanese Nordic combined skier
Reiko Kobayashi (小林れい子, born 1961), Japanese figure skater and coach
Reiko Kobayashi (Go player) (小林禮子, 1939–1996), Japanese Go player
Royal Kobayashi (born 1949), Japanese boxer
Ryosei Kobayashi (born 1994), Japanese squash player
Ryoyu Kobayashi (小林陵侑, born 1996), Japanese ski jumper
Ryuichi Kobayashi (小林竜一, born 1976), Japanesebobsledder
Susumu Kobayashi (小林晋, born 1973), Japanese sport shooter
Takako Kobayashi (小林貴子, born 1968), Japanese judoka
Takeru Kobayashi (小林尊, born 1978), Japanese competitive eater
Yasuo Kobayashi (小林保雄, born 1936), Japanese aikidoka
Yoshimi Kobayashi (小林良美, born 1968), Japanese softball player
Yugo Kobayashi (小林優吾, born 1995), Japanese badminton player
Yuka Kobayashi (小林優香, born 1994), Japanese cyclist
Yuriko Kobayashi (小林祐梨子, born 1988), Japanese middle- and long-distance runner
Yuta Kobayashi (小林祐太, born 1987), Japanese basketball player

Others

Emi Kobayashi (小林恵美, born 1983), Japanese gravure idol
Hitomi Kobayashi (小林ひとみ, born 1965), Japanese AV idol
Ichizō Kobayashi (小林一三, 1873–1957), Japanese industrialist
Kana Kobayashi (小林香菜, born 1991), Japanese idol
Keiichiro Kobayashi (小林慶一郎, born 1966), Japanese economist
Ken Kobayashi (小林健, born 1949), Japanese businessman
Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi (小林研一郎, born 1940), Japanese conductor and composer
Sanzaburo Kobayashi (小林参三郎, 1863–1926), Japanese surgeon
Maya Kobayashi (小林麻耶, born 1979), Japanese journalist
Yotaro Kobayashi (小林陽太郎, 1933–2015), Japanese businessman
Yumi Kobayashi (小林優美, born 1988), Japanese fashion model

Fictional characters

Kobayashi (小林), a character in the manga series The Law of Ueki
Kobayashi (小林), the protagonist in the manga series Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid
Kobayashi, a character in the film The Usual Suspects
Akane Kobayashi (小林あかね), a character in the manga series Doki Doki School Hours
Amiko Kobayashi, a character in Marvel Comics
Atari Kobayashi, a character in the film Isle of Dogs
Daigo Kobayashi, a character in the film Departures
Hayato Kobayashi (ハヤト・コバヤシ), a character in the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam
Hitomonji Kobayashi (小林一文字), a character in the manga series Cheeky Angel
Hatoko Kobayashi (小林鳩子) and Kotaro Kobayashi (小林虎太郎), characters in the manga series Angelic Layer
Koji Kobayashi, a character in the film Godzilla Raids Again
Masafumi Kobayashi, a character in the film Noroi: The Curse
Matcha Kobayashi (小林抹茶), a character in the media franchise Project 575
Rin Kobayashi (小林輪), a character in the manga series Please Save My Earth
Sanpeita Kobayashi (小林三平太), protagonist of the manga series Kemeko Deluxe!
Sumiko Kobayashi (小林澄子), a character in the manga series Case Closed
Tamami Kobayashi (小林玉美) a side character in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable
Washu Kobayashi (小林鷲羽), also known as Washu Hakubi, a character in Tenchi Muyō! media