Which alternative currencies might experience a sharp rise in popularity like bitcoin recently did?
there is no real way to predict where the market goes. Therefore it is a question without an answer.

The part about bitcoin surge is just a question of supply and demand. bitcoin doesn't really have a value. the value lies in the demand from people hoarding or spending them and the supply from miners and/or brokers. It is now in high demand so it's high in price.If by popularity you mean a hyper deflation. Well then yes. bitcoin will probably always dominate the others.