It can be used as a popular culture derogatory stereotype to use hair colour as a indication of intelligence. This stereotype is utilized in blonde jokes.

Blonde hair is also a physical trait often associated with "bimbos", attractive but unintelligent or uneducated women.

Blond hair has been considered attractive and sexy since very old times in some European cultures, and is sometimes combined with blue eyes for further attraction. This perception is exploited in culture and advertising.

At the same time, people tend to presume that blondes are less serious-minded and less intelligent than brunettes, as reflected in "blonde jokes", which entered the American culture in 1900s. The roots of this notion may be traced to Europe, with the "dumb blonde" in question being a French courtesan named Rosalie Duthe, satirised in a 1775 play Les curiosites de la Foire for her habit of pausing a long time before speaking, appearing not only stupid but literally dumb.

The notion of "dumb blond" has been a topic of academic research reported in scholarly articles and university symposia, which tend to confirm that many people hold to the perception that light-haired women are less intelligent than women with dark hair.

The dumb blonde stereotype (and the associated cognitive bias) may have some negative consequences and it can also damage a blonde person's career prospects.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (a comic novel, a Broadway musical and a film) explores the ideas of a blond woman's appeal. The film starred Marilyn Monroe as the blonde and Jane Russell as her wise brunette friend. The Encyclopedia of Hair describes Monroe's role as that of "a fragile woman who relied rather on her looks rather than on intelligence - what some people refer to as "dumb blond". At the same time, in the film she demonstrates a certain amount of wit regarding her life position expressed in her hit "Diamonds are the girl's best friend". And when her fiancé's father (who initially disliked her but eventually was impressed) asked her why she pretends to be dumb, she answers that men prefer this way.

Many blond actresses have played stereotypical "dumb blondes", including Judy Holliday, Jayne Mansfield and Goldie Hawn.

In the American sitcom Three's Company the blond girl (originally Chrissy played by Suzanne Sommers, and later Cindy and Terri) is sweet and naive, while the brunette (Janet, Joyce DeWitt) is smart.

At the same time, there are many examples where the stereotype is exploited only to combat it.