There are four major villages in the municipality: Karlshus, Saltnes, Missingmyr, and Slangsvold.

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Råde farm (Old Norse: Róða), since the first church was built here.

The name is identical with the word róða which means "bar, pole, or rod".

Here it is referring to one of Norway's many terminal moraines, and the farm and the church named after it.

The arms thus symbolise the moraine and glacial path from the Ice ages that runs through the municipality.