Anamorphic zoom lenses, used extensively in the motion picture industry, pose a significant design challenge, combining the difficulties of designing a high-performance zoom lens with those of designing an anamorphic lens. As a result, considerable emphasis must be placed on the first-order configuration of the starting point design before interfacing with optical design software. A Monte Carlo search method is introduced for generating first-order designs of anamorphic zoom lenses based on two different configurations. The obtained designs possess valid zoom motions and ray trace successfully while satisfying a set of system specifications. This search method offers a time effective and illustrative way of exploring the global solution space of first-order designs for use as starting points on the way to a thick lens, color-corrected final design. The results of such a Monte Carlo search are presented for two types of anamorphic zoom configurations, and a design example is demonstrated.