Reply To: Why does Yishmael have 12 princes

To answer the original question, HaRav Avigdor Miller zt”l says that yes. The 12 do correspond to the 12 shevotim. This signifies that, as a son of Avrohom Ovinu, Yishmo’el could have gained some parallel to the shevotim, but didn’t. You can check it out in HaRav Miller’s sefer on Bereishis, “The Beginning”.