Between 1880's-1920's family names in western Finland became more common among general population. (People with education and trade people in towns had family names already in 1600's.) During this period the adoption of Finnish names (as opposed to the Swedish and Latin ones used previously) started as well.
As the name conventions were loose, people chose names without rules or traditions. Personally I find it waste of time to wonder why
a) children chose different name than parents
b) siblings chose different names
c) a particular name was chosen
d) people would change names several times
because all that just happened.
(In Eastern Finland common people have had family names 1500's which is an uncommonly long time in European context.)
You can read more at http://www.genealogia.fi/emi/art/article216e.htm
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Thank you for your comments - I have always wondered why my great grandfather went by a different name BEFORE he left for America - I understand that many people changed their names once they got to America. It is helpful to have that little bit of historical/cultural understanding that you have written about here.
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