shticky- similar to what u said but i though i heard the reason is from “vaipach beapav nishmas chaim” Hashem blew into Adam a breath of life.. If hashem blew in a neshama and neshama is compared to light – we dont want to blow it out..
also, Rabbi Blumenkrantz ah in his pesach books writes the history of candles how it used to be used for godesses and avoda zara- im almost sure its in the book every year, under birthday candles