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anAhata is indeed a word in Sanskrit. It is formed as an- (privative) + A (directional particle, towards) + han (hit, kill, etc. cognate with the root of English fend) + past participle suffix. It means something "that is not hit", and applied to a sound, it refers to the eternal sound that was not created by beating a drum or the vocal chords or anything. Since in some of Indian cosmogony the eternal sound predates and pervades everything, it is a symbol of the divine power.

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The actual pronunciation in Punjabi (the language of most Sikhs in India) has varied, and anAhad is a common one. I do not know if Anahad O'Connor got the name from this Punjabi word or now.