Kanawha was an American state formed on October 24, 1861. It consisted of several northwestern counties of Virginia, which separated after that state joined the Confederate States of America on April 17, 1861. The separation had been approved by the loyalist Reorganized Government of Virginia on August 20, 1861. It was named for the Kanawha River, which was named for the Canawese ("White Stone") Native American tribe.

Kanawha was renamed West Virginia a little over a month later, on December 3.