Which alternative currencies might experience a sharp rise in popularity like bitcoin recently did? Simple question for newbies. Which other alternative currencies (crypto and others) are possible candidates for a surge in popularity?

Is there any reason that bitcoin will always dominate the alt currencies or is it just one of many contenders waiting to be discovered by the masses any day now?
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.