1. A computer-implemented method for forwarding packets, the method comprising: receiving, by an intermediate node, a first packet which has a name and a first nonce, wherein the first packet indicates a set of two or more member interests, wherein each member interest has a name, wherein a name is a hierarchically structured variable length identifier that includes contiguous name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level; performing a search, by the intermediate node, for the name of the first packet in a pending interest table, the pending interest table including a plurality of entries; in response to not obtaining a matching entry in the plurality of entries of the pending interest table based on the name for the first packet, creating a new entry in the pending interest table, wherein the new entry includes a new nonce generated by the intermediate node, a reference count, and a set of arrival nonces and corresponding arrival interfaces; setting the new entry's reference count to a number of member interests indicated in the first packet; replacing the first nonce of the first packet with the new nonce; forwarding the first packet with the new nonce, by the intermediate node, thereby facilitating efficient communication of the set of member interests indicated in the first packet; and in response to obtaining a content object packet that has a matching entry in the pending interest table, transmitting the content object packet based on arrival interfaces of the matching entry.